Slobodan Trendafilov, President of the Federation of Trade Unions of Macedonia (SSM), has offered to reduce his salary and the salaries of all elected and appointed officials to 500 euros for one year, contingent on the immediate passage of an amendment to raise the minimum wage to 500 euros. This proposal comes in response to criticisms that SSM trade union leaders receive high salaries at the expense of workers.

Trendafilov challenged all elected and appointed officials in Macedonia, approximately 1080 individuals, to accept a 500 euro salary for one year, provided they also vote for a law increasing the minimum wage to 500 euros. He specifically addressed MP Brane Petrushevski from VMRO-DPMNE, who has spoken publicly about the salaries of trade union representatives, denying claims that his salary is 75,000 denars and clarifying that it is 60,000 denars, funded by union membership fees.

The SSM has scheduled a protest for tomorrow, featuring a public session of the highest trade union bodies, to express dissatisfaction with the Government’s policies. The protest will begin in front of the SSM headquarters, proceed to the Parliament, then to the Chamber of Commerce, and conclude in front of the Government building.

The SSM is demanding a 500 euro minimum wage and a 100 euro increase for all other wages, asserting that decisions affecting workers cannot be made without their input.