Macedonian Government presented Wednesday the first National Report on the Millennium Development Goals, thus activating its support to the global processes aimed at decreasing poverty by 2015.
The fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals should decrease the number of people in Macedonia living under the poverty line to 9.5 percent, while all children should be given the chance to complete their elementary and secondary education.
According to the goals, the gender differences in elementary and secondary education should be eliminated by the end of this year, then halve the number of women as non-paid workers in the family, as well as double their participation in power.
The goals also include further decrease of the infant mortality rate, elimination of measles by 2015, as well as 3/4 decrease of mortality rate among women giving birth, and decrease in the spreading of HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and other fatal diseases.
The Development Goals also envisage creation of a favorable environment for stimulation of foreign direct investments up to 7 percent of the GDP by 2015, increase of the foreign trade share at world markets up to 16 percent of the GDP, and decrease of the trade deficit to 12 percent of the GDP.
"The fulfillment of the Millennium Development Goals and Macedonia's accession to the EU are related processes and should therefore be harmonized", Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski said, adding that the Government would prepare a socio-economic program for period 2006-2015, in cooperation with UNDP.
UNDP Resident Representative to Macedonia, Frode Mauring stated that the necessity for fulfillment of these goals was owed to the fact that Macedonia is among the countries with highest unemployment rate, while 55 percent of the population suffers from different types of poverty.
"The awareness for meeting of these goals should be turned into concrete action, but only with the engagement and consensus of all competent departments", Mauring recommended.
The National Report on Millennium Development Goals is a commitment deriving from the signing of the Millennium Declaration in 2000.

PM BUCKOVSKI MEETS TRADE UNION LEADER OF EMPLOYEES IN EDUCATION AND CULTURE

Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski and ministers of education and science, labor and social policy and culture had a meeting Wednesday with trade leader of employees in those spheres Dojcin Cvetanovski.
The problems should be solved, but not by creating new ones, Buckovski said at the meeting.
On Sunday, government and union representatives will resume talks about determining the lowest salary of the employees in education and culture, who went on strike earlier today in front of the Parliament and Government buildings.

SITUATION IN MACEDONIA IMPROVED, JEAN LEMIER SAYS

President of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Jean Lemier considered that the situation in Macedonia is improved compared to two years ago and that the reforms which are carried out represent progress.
"Situation in Skopje is better than two years ago. I have recently visited Skopje and held talks with Prime Minister. I realised that the reforms in the banking system are being carried out and financing small and medium sized enterprises is improved. I saw start of realisations of infrastructural facilities, privatisation and European engagement. I saw a real progress in Skopje," Lemier said for Radio Deutsche Welle programme on Macedonian language.
Last year's bank report reads that projects amounting to 80.3 million Euro were supported.
He added that the bank has also other projects for financing of small and medium sized enterprises and banks.
"The important thing for us is to consolidate the banks in Skopje in order to take more risks," Lemier said.
In regard to the region Lemier said that he felt movement and increase of investors' interests however slowing down of the EU enlargement process should not influence the investments.
"I can say that the interest for investment in the Western Balkan region is high. These countries have no choice, they have future, brilliant future if they carry out the reforms for modernisation. We are prepared to help them. We believe in development of trade exchange agreements and construction of energetic infrastructure and joint Balkan energetic market.