Mickoski Cites 4.3 Percent Growth and Higher Pensions; SDSM Wants an Inquiry Into the Celebration
Mickoski corrected himself: pensions rose 12.6 times faster than under SDSM, not 16 times as he first claimed.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski again compared pension growth under his government with the SDSM era, but this time corrected his own figure. "A few days ago I said the difference was 16 times, I made a mistake, I apologise, it is 12.6 times," he said.
By his comparison, in the first two years of the SDSM-DUI government pensions rose by about 540 denars. In the same span under this government (26-27 months), the average old-age pension has risen by more than 6,800 denars, through four linear increases — twice by 2,500 denars and twice by 1,000.
Those linear rises are now ending. From September, pensions increase for the first time in two years under the statutory indexation formula — 50 percent tied to average wage growth, 50 percent to inflation. The average pension, 28,103 denars in June, will rise by 843 denars. The lowest pensions gain 600 denars, the highest up to 1,500, affecting more than 350,000 pensioners.
SDSM rejected Mickoski's framing in a statement, calling it a presentation of the economy through figures that do not match what citizens actually feel. The party tied the remarks to the separate dispute over the State Lottery and the independence celebrations, saying the same money is now being framed as "sponsorship, dividend and patriotism."
MKNews Hub · Economy · September 14, 2026
