Finance Think at the Second Macro-Peer Learning Event

🔹 Finance Think, represented by our Blagica Petreski, took part with a presentation on our good practices at the Second Macro-Peer Learning Event, organized by World Bank North Macedonia within the #EU Trust Fund for Strengthening #FiscalGovernance in the #WesternBalkans.

The event, held in Podgorica on September 29–30, brought together experts from ministries of finance, central banks, fiscal councils, and think tanks to discuss:

💡 the revised EU fiscal governance framework,
📊 growth nowcasting and cycle synchronization,
🌱 climate risk modeling and its application,
📉 debt sustainability assessments,
🔍 Fall 2025 forecasts and the surrounding uncertainties.

Grateful for the opportunity for such a fruitful and inspiring exchange of knowledge and experiences!

Open Contracts, Honest Communities: Tracking Local Procurement for Integrity

The general objective of the project is to enhance transparency, accountability, and political integrity in public procurement at the municipal level in North Macedonia, thereby reducing corruption risks and strengthening democratic governance.

Specific Objectives

  1. Assess procurement practices in the municipalities of Prilep and Krushevo through a standardized transparency scorecard, identifying strengths and risks.

  2. Build capacity of at least 15 local stakeholders (citizens, CSOs, journalists) through targeted trainings on monitoring procurement and promoting integrity.

  3. Raise public awareness by simplifying complex procurement issues and engaging communities in oversight via campaigns and outreach.

  4. Foster dialogue between citizens, civil society, and local authorities through publication of municipal scorecards, a comparative policy brief, and a final public event.

Donor: European Union through Transparency International – Macedonia

Gender Pay Gap Analysis in North Macedonia

The general objective of the project is to produce a comprehensive and empirically grounded analysis of the gender pay gap in North Macedonia, which will provide precise and applicable policy recommendations, in line with ILO Convention No. 100 and the UN gender equality agenda.

Specific Objectives

  • To calculate raw, adjusted, and factor-weighted gender pay gaps using micro-data from the Structure of Earnings Survey (SES).

  • To conduct quantile decomposition analysis in order to identify differences across the wage distribution (glass ceiling, sticky floor).

  • To analyze within-firm and between-firm pay gaps, in order to determine whether inequality stems from pay-setting practices or from sectoral segregation.

  • To estimate the so-called “feminization penalty” and examine how the concentration of women in specific occupations/sectors affects wage levels.

  • To conduct consultations with stakeholders (trade unions, employers, institutions) and integrate their perspectives into the final recommendations.

  • To provide practical and context-specific policy recommendations for reducing the gender pay gap.

Client: International Labour Organization and UN Women

Concluding ceremony within EESC

In Brussels, under the slogan “Stand up for democracy, speak up for Europe”, the closing ceremony of the mandate of President Oliver Röpke at the European Economic and Social Committee (EESC) was held.
✨ The event highlighted the Committee’s contributions to strengthening democracy, the role of youth, civil society, and equality in Europe. Representatives from all EU Member States and candidate countries, who had been nominated as members, took part.
🤝 Blagica Petreski, as a member of this body, was part of the ceremony, while the activities of the EESC will continue in the coming period.