Polyparty-ism - Search for Common Ground

The essence of the Macedonian
problem is poverty
Ljupcho Zikov
Economic problems are becoming
predominant in the citizens' behaviour,
suppressing ethnic relations; this is the
result of the "cold peace" present in the
country for more than several months.
Even people from the crisis
regions, in the surveys of the public
opinion, have put unemployment, and
economic and social uncertainty on the
top of the ranking lists.
"There is a whole list of mutual
problems, concerning all ethnic groups:
the corruption of the government,
organized crime, etc. There are some
joint stands, for instance, about possible
violent actions during the elections,"
says Emilija Simovska from the
Institute of social and political research.
MACEDONIANS AND
ALBANIANS SHARE THE
SAME PROBLEMS
Preparing the government strategy
for a "fight" against poverty has shown
that 24.6%, i.e. every fourth person, in
this country is poor.
The poverty trend has been constantly
increasing for the last 15 years
and, according to the information, last
year, during the Kosovo crisis, it
reached its highest level.
According to Trajko Slavevski,
professor at the Economic School and a
national coordinator for preparing a
strategy for fighting against poverty,
the rate of poverty in our capital is
much higher than average, and the rate
in the rural settings is the highest;
regarding the ethnic aspect, the Roma
population suffers most.
The life standard in the country is
constantly decreasing. From an average
salary, after purchasing all the necessary
food products for one average
family of four, only 3% is left, with
which it is necessary to pay the electricity,
water, telephone and other bills.
Comparing prices shows a fair rise in
prices from three years ago, with very
small exceptions. For instance, the
price of bread has increased by 26%,
the price of milk - 11%, the price of
eggs - 24%, the price of electricity -
9%, central heating - 18%. Or, in other
words, with an average salary today,
Macedonians and
Albanians are on the
way to identifying a
"mutual burden"
one can buy 36 kg of bread less than
one could buy three years ago.
The situation in Macedonia in 2002
shows that from a total number of
50,000 active enterprises almost one
half (around 30,000) have blocked
accounts. As a result of the decrease in
industrial production, during the last
ten years the country has been moving
backwards in an economical sense. The
small rise in the full amount of social
production in 1999 and 2000 was interrupted
by the war at the beginning of
2001.
Today there are 360,000 unemployed
persons in Macedonia (32% to
33%): Macedonians, Albanians, Turks,
Vlachs, Serbs and Roma.
On the other hand, the facts about
Macedonia reveal that the central government
in these past years has demonstrated
their incapability of creating
normal conditions to solve the existential
problems of its citizens, regardless
of their ethnic background. The problem
of unemployment is getting worse,
and it seems like people have lost their
fight with poverty. Being involved in
different transitional processes, the previous
governments observed the problems
of the common people from a different
perspective; this has created a
subtle barrier that has not allowed state
employees to really feel the problems.
A great part of the managing elite,
as a result of the process of privatisation
in Macedonia, and incapable of
overcoming new markets for their
products, have become "saboteurs" of
their own development and "generators"
of problems, in conjunction with
party interests and its exponents. The
country was constantly avoiding the
discussion about the real problems.
After the endless fights for power
between opposing managerial groups,
between different managerial teams
and employees, and among different
political parties, today, the largest companies
have depressed basic means, old
technology, huge debts, worsening
human relations, incapable management,
a loss of markets, and bad-quality
personnel.
OTHER LIMITING
FACTORS OF THE
MACEDONIAN ECONOMY
The analyses show that the
Macedonian economy is in a phase of
strong recession as a result of at least
three things: a block in production and
exports because of last year's war;
recession of the world economy after
the events on September 11th, 2001, as
well as the interruption of the reforms
in the country as a result of the following
parliamentary elections; and, finally,
the increase in expenditures from the
Budget made by the current government.
The following year will be one of
91
Elections for peace, July 2002