Skopje, North Macedonia – The Employment and Social Affairs Platform 2 Project (ESAP 2) of the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) in cooperation with its partners from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, North Macedonia organized the presentation of the Analytical Report “Impact Assessment of the Active Labour Market Measures in North Macedonia” in Skopje today.

“ESAP 2 project team is glad to have had the opportunity to positively respond to a request for technical assistance coming from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, North Macedonia, and prepare this report on the impact of select active labour market measures implemented in North Macedonia.   We hope that this report and its findings can be valuable input to our partners in their  planning of future active labour market measures and policies”, said Amira Ramhorst, Team Leader of the RCC ESAP 2 project at the beginning of the presentation welcoming the participants.

Mirjana Aleksevska, Head of the Labour Law and Employment Policy Department at the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of North Macedonia thanked the RCC ESAP 2 project highlighting that the aim of the Ministry and its employment programmes is to ensure that the funds spent on  active labour market measures and  programmes are effective, resulting in  more employed.

“This analytical report provides us with useful information to be considered in creation of our future employment measures in order to reach desired results.”

The author of the Report commissioned by the RCC ESAP 2 project, expert Dr. Dimitar Nikoloski, explained that the analysis was done on a representative sample of a total of  2.230 persons in North Macedonia  and included respondents that took part in active measures and those that did not and focused on  five active labour market measures.  The report also solicited feedback of respondents related to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting that the majority of the respondents emphasised the increased demand for advanced IT skills due to the pandemic of Covid-19.

“The report strived to provide valuable information on the impact of active labour market measures and programmes that the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, North Macedonia has implemented over a period time, also providing some recommendations related to these active labour market measures, including an integrated and complementary approach with other measures and social policies in order to ensure  most efficient and effective results.” 

The meeting participants also included Mladen Frckovski, Head of Labour Market Unit and Darko Docinski, Deputy Head, Labour Law and Employment Policy Department as well as other representatives from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and the Employment Service Agency, North Macedonia  

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ESAP 2 project provides technical assistance to support partners’ processes related to preparation, monitoring and implementation of employment, labour market and social affairs strategies, action plans and/or measures, as well as other priority areas under the mandate of Ministries of Labour and Public Employment Services, who are the beneficiaries of this assistance.