The Government has assigned Skopje University Ss 'Cyril and Methodius' in the next four months to draft a National Family Strategy.

A memo on realizing of this project was signed Sunday by Minister of Education and Science Pance Kralev and Skopje University Rector Velimir Stojkovski.

The document foresees engagement of University experts for social policy, education, economy, demography. It should determine the current situation in terms of birth, fertility, migration rates and set directions for their improvement.

"Macedonia is witnessing a tendency of declining birth, fertility rates, number of new pupils in primary schools...These indicators are not only numbers and pure statistics, but warning that it is a high time for something to be done in this respect," Stojkovski said.

The poor birth rate is the problem of modern time, one that presents a challenge to many countries across the globe, Minister of Labor and Social Policy Spiro Ristovski said.

"In order to mitigate the possible consequences, the Government has taken multi-dimensional approach, taking into consideration the economic, social, educational and cultural aspects of the problem," he said, urging for the support of all societal factors, including the private sector and the business community.

That is the only way to overcome the problem in this sensitive period of underlining the family and marital values, Ristovski said.