Increasing minimum wage to EUR 600 will result in closing many craft shops and layoffs, the Chamber of Crafts – Skopje warned at a press conference on Wednesday.
According to the Chamber, the minimum wage should be calculated in line with the law. If it were increased to EUR 600, it would mean a major blow due to the drastic increase in contribution costs.
“We are not against increasing the minimum wage, but it should be sustained, based on a good analysis. The craft sector cannot withstand this pace of continuous cost increases. The situation of craftsmen working in smaller towns and rural areas should be particularly taken into account, where there is high migration and significantly lower consumption of craft products and services. In order to survive and preserve liquidity, artisans will be forced to increase prices, which will further reduce demand and lead to the closure of a large number of artisan businesses,” the Chamber of Crafts – Skopje head Goran Ristovski told reporters.
