Economy in free fall

Aleksandar Nikoloski

The SDSM-led government has captured the state, while the economy stagnates, economic growth is equal to zero, and the consumer basket is the highest ever. The costs of citizens are growing, there are no new jobs, no higher social assistance, and no real increase in salaries. Only SDSM can boast of adopting unconstitutional laws, bad economic measures and increasing excise taxes. Now Tevdovski is announcing an increase in the tax rate of 18 percent for revenues of over 1,000 euros. This increase in the tax rate will directly harm young freelancers, those who earn from IT technology, and Macedonia can boast that there are young people who are real experts in this field. It’s no coincidence that IT technology has been developed in Macedonia. The government led by VMRO-DPMNE had a number of measures that subsidized IT skills. And what did SDSM do in this field? The measure “training in advanced IT skills” can be presented as one of the most successful government measures of the previous government, and SDSM decided to abolish it. And, as if it is not enough that they have no measures for young computer scientists, programmers and popular freelancers, SDSM decided to increase taxes.

Ten months after SDSM is in power, we hear that it is working on a plan. SDSM had 11 years to prepare the plan and instantly get to work. The main feature of this power seems to be travels and feasts at the expense of the citizens.

According to official data, the economy grew in the period from 2013 to 2016. In 2013, the growth was 2.9 percent, for 2014 the growth was 3.6 percent, and in 2015 the annual growth of the economy reached as much as 4 percent. This is a result of the excellent economic measures taken by the government led by VMRO-DPMNE, when in times of severe political crisis created by SDSM, the economy did not stagnate, but on the contrary, it was on the rise. To make hypocrisy even greater, Zaev presents infrastructure projects of VMRO-DPMNE as their own. The Gradsko-Drenovo section, which was announced by this government, is only part of a phase for which the funds have been completely provided by VMRO-DPMNE. The construction of the Expressway Gradsko – Prilep has started in 2016. The contract for the construction of the Stip – Radovis expressway was signed in December 2016, and all funds have been provided by the previous government led by VMRO-DPMNE. All of these projects have been started by VMRO-DPMNE and all funds have been provided by the government led by VMRO-DPMNE. The only infrastructure project was the unjustified stopping of the Ohrid-Kicevo highway, the Demir Kapija-Smokvica highway and the Miladinovci highway – Stip, which is already in the advanced phase of the realization. The absurdity is even greater when the Demir Kapija-Smokvica highway, which was completed during the VMRO-DPMNE, has been deliberately not put into use for ten months.

The SDSM government managed to indebt the state for 566m euros in just 3 months. That is 1,200 euros of debt to each family. Here is the question of how this money is used – There is no capital investment, no new roads, new schools, no new kindergartens, no new subsidies for farmers. Minister Carovska, who is known for scandal with the protegees in the homes for orphans, abuse of minors and numerous scandals, promised an increase in social assistance to 12,000 denars. Social assistance was another electoral manipulation of SDSM and it has not increased for 10 months. The Ministry of Labor and Social Policy has pledged 13 new kindergartens in 2017. Of the promised kindergartens, only six were completed, some of which were started by VMRO-DPMNE.
SDSM remains a synonym for promised – unfulfilled.