FYR of Macedonia/ 4.2 Specific policy issues and recent debates  

4.2.8 Social cohesion and cultural policies

The government believes that the best social policy is the one that creates new employment. So its policy is to create an efficient system of social protection and productive engagement of welfare users. Some of the mid-term priorities are:

• effective implementation of the measures and programmes entailed in the National Strategy for Reduction of Poverty prepared in 2002;
• active employment policies (local infrastructure, support, etc.);
• support for self-employment (family businesses) for 5 000 people;
• hiring unemployed from the least developed regions in construction work, ecological projects, etc.;
• subsidising employment of 2 000 single parents and disabled people; and
• training and counselling unemployed people in the areas of pre-qualifications, contact with potential employers, improved knowledge and skills, computer training, etc.

There are also special measures for young people:

• support for first-time employment of young persons under 27 years of age;
• scholarships for 500 of the best high school students and 1 000 of the best college students and postgraduates;
• employment for college and high school students for three months during the summer period; and
• assistance for young people to collect employment information and to apply for employment (Youth Electronic Portal – YEP).

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