Social dialogue can boost the development of society,  contribute significantly to implementation of necessary reforms and serve as the main driving force in maintaining balance between social and economic development of the country. Thus, it is necessary all partners in the dialogue - the government, trade unions and employers - to have the required capacities and knowledge, concluded participants at Monday's closing conference of the EU-funded project "Increasing Organisation of Employers’ of Macedonia (OEM) capacity on the way to EU."

"Social dialogue is a necessary tool in negotiations aimed at resolving disputes between trade unions, employers and the government. It is not solely a demand from the EU, it's crucial in tackling social and economic relations between the three partners," OEM president Dimitar Stojanovski stated.

Charge d'Affaires of the EU delegation, Robbert Liddell deemed that a functional representative social dialogue would contribute to government's efforts in the fight against high unemployment, to creating an inclusive labour market while enabling development and social stability.

"The government is not the only one accountable for these issues. Joined efforts and partnership is needed in helping the transition process and in seeking a wider consensus from the civil society in these stages of reform implementation, Liddell said.

Minister of Labour and Social Policy Spiro Ristovski said social dialogue in Macedonia was functioning in the frameworks of the Economic and Social Council - a three-party consultative body playing an important role in the process of establishing policies and legislation and their implementation.

"In addition to legal and institutional framework, efficient social dialogue also requires strengthened capacities and resources between social partners, constant and mutual cooperation as well as effective dialogue between partners," the minister noted.

The overall objective of the project action was to ensure capacity building of OEM and raising awareness towards EU pre-accession process in order OEM become fully professional body and competent social partner able to meet requirements and challenges of the social dialogue at local, national and EU-level thus contributing to the achievements of country strategic goals in the social and economic sphere.