Macedonia needs institutions that will work with a clear long-term vision and will not make decisions guided only by daily political interests, Macedonian Prime Minister HristijanMickoskisaid Friday at the fifth meeting dedicated to the National Development Strategy 2024–2044.
The strategy, as the Prime Minister assesses, is one of the most important strategic documents for the country, because it was created through a process that included experts, institutions, local government, the business community and the civil sector.
“For years we were forced to think short-term and solve problems day by day. Today we have an obligation to show that the country can be predictable, that institutions can work according to plan and that development must not depend on political cycles,” said Mickoski.
He assessed that the National Development Council is an important mechanism for harmonizing different policies and creating measures that will have a long-term effect on society.
In the process of preparing and implementing the strategy, as the Prime Minister pointed out, more than 1,200 representatives from various fields participated, and some of the planned activities are already being implemented.
Mickoski emphasized that the results will not be assessed according to the number of adopted documents, but according to the concrete changes that citizens will feel – better working conditions, higher incomes, better quality education, better healthcare and more efficient institutions.
The PM placed special emphasis on investments, innovations, digitalization and the development of human potential, assessing that they will be key to the country’s competitiveness in the next two decades.
The Prime Minister also addressed demographic challenges, pointing out that retaining young people in the country is one of the most important priorities.
“Our goal is to create conditions for young people to stay here, to create families and to believe that their children will have a better future. Demographics are not just statistics, but a matter of national sustainability,” said Mickoski.
The Macedonian PM added that the implementation of the National Development Strategy will require continuity, political maturity and commitment to reforms.
“The goal is that in 2044 we will be able to say that we have built a stronger, richer, fairer and more successful Macedonia – a country of opportunities that does not wait for the future, but creates it,”noted PM Mickoski.
