The Lowest Average Wage in the Western Balkans Is in North Macedonia, Bulgaria Ranks on the Third Place

The highest average monthly salary in the Western Balkans this year is in Slovenia - EUR 1,113, while the lowest is in Macedonia, where the average monthly salary amounts to EUR 413, "New Macedonia" Newspaper wrote, according to the FOCUS News Agency.

For comparison, according to NSI data, the average monthly remuneration in Bulgaria for the first quarter of 2019 amounts to about EUR 610 - BGN 1209. According to the National Statistical Office of Romania, as of February 11, 2019, the average salary in the country is EUR 570.

According to the released statistics, the average salary in Croatia is EUR 886, in Montenegro - EUR 516, Bosnia and Herzegovina - EUR 472 and Serbia - EUR 470. Ahead of Macedonia is also Kosovo, where the average monthly wage has reached EUR 422. The daily paper notes that the Macedonian authorities regularly emphasize the continuous increase in the average monthly salary. The Government of the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia has repeatedly stated that it plans to raise this figure to EUR 500 within its mandate.

With an average salary of EUR 413, Macedonians' incomes are well below the monthly basic needs expenses. Namely, the union basket of the Federation of Macedonia's Trade Unions says that a family of four needs EUR 531 to cover its basic expenses.