The storm surrounding the loan from Hungary arose as soon as Hristijan Mickoski became prime minister: where is he from, is the money Chinese, what is the political weight. Mickoski answered this quiz with: yes, no, you'll see, it's not from China...

The official information is that it is 500 million euros. The loan will be withdrawn in one transaction, and the repayment term is 15 years, including a grace period of three years. The interest rate is fixed and amounts to 3,25 percent. The loan will be repaid in 24 semi-annual installments. Now we have a new quiz – how much interest will companies really pay and, more importantly – who will pay the interest, companies or the people. Finally, how much total interest will be paid on this Hungarian loan?

Theoretically, it seems simple – 250 million euros go to municipal projects, 250 million euros to companies, but with what interest? It is stateless for them to take the money and then negotiate the details. The populist government wants to engrave in the collective memory a low interest rate of 3,25 percent, at which, realistically, we would not be able to borrow money on the international financial market.

In the meantime, the statements are pouring in. Efforts are moving in the direction of the interest to the companies being the same as the one with which Macedonia took the loan from the private Hungarian bank. The Minister of Finance, Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska, said that the interest rate has been agreed with the banks, but the repayment period remains to be negotiated, because the banks have a policy that the repayment period should be from 7 to 10 years, not the 15-year period in which repays the loan.

A lot of things around interest have been "lost in translation". The minister said that the state can subsidize the whole interest, or half... Then she said that the banks must charge for the risk. Then – that that risk was separated from the agreed interest of 3,25 percent (isn't the interest also for the risk?!). Thus, an additional 3,25 percent began to be put into play, that is, the interest rate under which commercial banks will give loans to companies will be up to 6,5 percent. Many will tell you that under those conditions, well-rated companies can easily get a loan now, just not for 15 years. That is why the state will subsidize, fully or half.

The funny interest math shows that the state will pay itself 3,25 percent interest on the 500 million euros withdrawn from the Hungarian loan, so it will subsidize at least 3,25 percent interest on the loan given by the commercial banks. Why should interest be paid to companies from the budget in which all citizens participate? Imagine a company that has millions of profits (in euros, of course), and that the people pay the interest. The defense of the economists is that this way the companies will invest, develop, and be able to pay higher salaries, and that in the end all this will return to the economy and the budget. But according to that logic - let someone pay me the interest! And my bigger expenses will go back into the budget.

Another issue is the amount of interest charged by the banks, which they don't even want to talk about in public. Badiala calls journalists to say something publicly. They are in their comfort zone. Liquid, then too liquid. And on top of that, this is not money from their budget, but given to them by the state just to distribute and earn. In truth, they should return to the Development Bank as much as they received - 250 million euros, regardless of whether someone will not return the loan taken. The president of the Chamber of Commerce, Branko Azeski, called on the banks not to exaggerate the interest rates, and Prime Minister Mickoski called on them to be patriotic, instead of sitting down and talking with the banks before agreeing on the loan. Aside from the problem with the distribution of money when it comes to municipalities where the mayors are from the ranks of the opposition.

Another loan from Hungary is on the threshold, again in the amount of 500 million euros. So, new troubles. Maybe now the Government will not underestimate the intelligence of the citizens and will prepare the ground in advance.