The goal of the twinning project “Enhancing the protection of employees in case of insolvency of their employer” which will be implemented in the next 18 months, is to set up guarantee mechanism for adequate protection of employees’ rights in case of insolvency of employers.
“The goal of this project is setting up guarantee mechanism for adequate protection of employees’ rights in cases of employers’ insolvency in line with relevant EU Directive 2008/94/ as well as in line with the national social-economic context. The law that needs to be adopted, in addition, harmonizes national legislation with EU legislation,” Minister of Labour and Social Policy Jagoda Shahpaska said addressing the launch of the twinning project. She also said that one of the key principles of the European social protection is to provide greater protection for employers as well as to ensure that the legal and institutional framework guarantee respect and protection of workers’ rights in each stage of business dealing of their employers, adding that this is the goal that should to be achieved with the implementation of this project.
“Strengthening the institutional capacity of the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy and other relevant stakeholders is a key factor on the successful transposition of the EU Directive into national law and its further implementation,” Shahpaska said.
Steffen Hudolin, Head of Cooperation in the EU Delegation to North Macedonia, said that there should be strong mechanisms to protect workers’ rights, because, as he said, it is not statistics, but it is about human destinies. “Regardless of the reasons for bankruptcy, it is a difficult experience everywhere. However, even more difficult are the consequences of one’s bankruptcy, which can result in the loss of thousands of jobs. We are not just talking about statistics, but about people losing their jobs and suddenly becoming vulnerable because they have nothing to support their families with,” Hudolin said.
Therefore, he added, the rights of the workers should be protected and what their families need. Establishment of such a system, as it was pointed out, requires cooperation of several stakeholders and this project is implemented between the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of the Republic of North Macedonia as the main beneficiary institution and the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family of the Slovak Republic along with the Regional Development Agency.
The Slovak Ambassador to the Republic of North Macedonia Henrik Markus stressed that Macedonia and Slovakia foster friendly relations, and that Slovakia will continue to give its support to the country on the European path. “This project is a great opportunity for joint work and planning of the future in the social sphere with a strong focus on enhancing the rights of workers in case of insolvency of their employers, and thus to improve the social system in your country,” said Markus, adding that good protecting the rights of employees should be in the focus of every government’s effort.
Source: MIA
