The Macedonian Foreign Ministry has issued a warning to all Macedonian citizens to avoid visiting or staying in Croatia, due to safety reasons, in view of the latest developments in this republic.
According to in-coming reports from embassies of the Republic of Macedonia in Zagreb and Ljubljana, some Macedonian citizens are still heading towards tourist centers in Croatia.
The insurance company "Makedonija" is working on the assessment of the damages in Negotino, caused by the recent storm. According to the to-date incomplete data of the stock company Jugotutun "Mosa Pijade" the damages amount to 39 million denars (US$ 1.05 million), while the assessment of the damages to the equipment and 25,000 kg of tobacco is underway, which is also partly damaged.
The losses at the work organization "Negotinsko pole" are assessed at 12 million denars (US$ 324,000), while at the co- operative "Dubrovo" - over 80 million denars (US$ 2.16 million). The losses at the agricultural combine "Venec" amount to 16 million denars (US$ 433,000), while at the factory for the production and processing of fruits and vegetables "Makedonija" - 2 million (US$ 54,000). The co-operative "Crveni bregovi" suffered damages up to 20 million denars (US$ 540,000).
As for the physical persons, with 20 of them, the damages were estimated at 180,000 denars (US$ 4,900), while with 550 agricultural insurees - around 23 million denars (US$ 622,000).
According to the Institute for Payment Operations, by the end of this half year, 10,176 companies with 131,925 employees did not receive wages for one, two or more months. This means that every third firm and virtually every third employee in the country did not receive wages for a minimum one month, while the data shows that there are more and more cases when wages are not received for months. More exactly, out of these 10,176 companies, 5,762 are late with their payments, for three or more months. This means that 70,370 workers in the country are affected.
The most irregular wages are the private firms, where 9,396 don't give wages regularly, however, they employ considerably less workers - 19,755.
According to the estimations of the Institute for Payment Operations, the mass of totally paid money for wages amounts to 200 billion denars, which is 200 million or 7.1% less than the legally determined right for the payment of wages.
According to the indicators of the Institute for Payment Operations, in the first five months of this year, 18.1 billion denars (US$ 498.5 million) have been added to the state budget. In the same period last year, this sum amounted to 16.9 billion denars (US$ 457 million).
This year, the most revenue was collected from sales tax - 8,893 million (US$ 240.5 million), followed by import tax - 5,528 million (US$ 149.5 million), personal tax - 4,419 million (US$ 119.5 million), customs - 3,193 million (US$ 86.3 million), while 932 million (US$ 25.2 million) were collected from the profit tax. 277 million (US$ 7.5 million) were collected from the taxes, and 395 million (US$ 10.7 million) from the other budget incomes.
Although nominally, compared to 1994, the earnings have increased, still a drop is noticed with all sources, except for the customs, taxes and other budget revenues. For instance, the income tax accounted for 52.1% of the overall revenue, and now, only for 49.1%.
In the first five months of this year, the social funds in the state cashed in 11,138 million denars. For the same period last year, this sum was 10,253 million. Otherwise, these funds are filled with contributions from the wages of employees in the economy with 83%, while the remaining 17% are derived from other sources.
At present, there are 15,000 holiday-makers in Ohrid and the Ohrid shore, which comprises only half of the accommodation capacities of this tourist center. At the beginning of August, there are much more tourists than in June, and it is regarded that the majority hotels are full, however, there are many free places in private rooms, auto-camps, resorts, etc.
Some 7,000 tourists are spending their vacation in Struga and the Struga shore. It is estimated that 80% of the hotel capacities are full, while there is still room in the camps, resorts, etc.
In the hotels on the Prespa Lake, the capacities are 90% full, while there are some 3,000 campers in the camps Krani and Oteshevo. Overall, it is estimated that there are 5,000 guests on the Prespa shore.
40% of the capacities are filled along the Dojran Lake, which is regarded to be the maximum this season. Otherwise, this lake has an offer of 10,000 beds for tourists.