Discover Northern Macedonia : Society (social life)

Living conditions

Northern Macedonia is the sixth poorest country in Europe. The average monthly salary is €421 (around €500 in Skopje), compared with €2,524 in France. But the cost of living is 58% lower than in France. This means that in a three- or four-day vacation for two (accommodation, restaurants and transport), you'll spend the equivalent of what a local employee earns in a month. Unemployment remains high: 15% of the working population was unemployed in 2022. However, it is falling sharply, having exceeded 30% in the 2000s and 20% in the 2010s. On the other hand, the health system inherited from socialist Yugoslavia is quite good, with almost everything covered by the local social security system. The problem is the lack of qualified personnel: many doctors and nurses have left the country for more attractive foreign salaries. Macedonia is also a relatively safe country: theft, scams and violence against tourists are very rare.

Demographics

This is one of the most worrying issues. The population is declining. It fell below the 2 million mark in the 2021 census (1,836,713). But this figure is misleading, as part of the diaspora has been included. Some demographers put the population at around 1.5 million. Two factors explain this drop: emigration (around 1 million inhabitants have left since independence in 1991) and the low birth rate (1.3 children per woman in 2020, compared with an EU average of 1.5). This leads to numerous problems: desertification of the countryside, lack of qualified personnel, isolation of the elderly, etc.

Gender inequality

They are very strong. For example, unemployment affects 37% of women. The maintenance of the patriarchal system and the weight of religion mean that women are victims of discrimination in employment, lack of access to property and domestic violence. However, the country has adopted a whole series of laws and measures to combat discrimination and violence against women, including a vast plan for gender equality in 2022. Women are still very much absent from decision-making positions. In 2021, only two of the country's 79 municipalities were elected mayors: Danela Arsovska in Skopje and Žaklina Jovanovska in Staro Nagoričane. They also remain poorly represented in government (4 out of 21 positions in the government formed in 2022). But things are changing with the arrival of young women in politics and the introduction of quotas. In 2022, women accounted for 42% of all members of parliament: 50 out of 120 seats in the country's only assembly. This is one of the highest rates in Europe.

Sexual minorities

In 2023, according to the "Europe Rainbow Index" ranking of the European branch of the International Lesbian and Gay Association (IGLA-Europe), North Macedonia ranks ^32nd out of 49 European countries for non-heterosexual tourists. Not great. But it's better than in 2019. Back then, North Macedonia was among the "ten worst destinations in Europe for LGBTQ+ tourists". In practice, it's not recommended to be open in public. Hoteliers are relatively tolerant, but nothing more. You should also take precautions if you use dating apps: for example, ask for a video chat before a date. However, life is particularly complicated for local sexual minorities. Discrimination and violence are commonplace. There are hardly any bars displaying the rainbow flag. Homosexuality was decriminalized in 1996, and the first Pride March was held in Skopje in 2019. As part of the convergence criteria for integration into the European Union, local parliamentarians passed a law against certain forms of discrimination in 2020. Sex reassignment has been authorized under pressure from the Council of Europe, and homosexuals and transgender people can openly serve in the army. But society remains hostile to the idea of same-sex marriage. The only poll on the subject dates back to 2015, and only 9% of the population were in favor.

Disparities

They are very strong. Between men and women, between town and country, between ethnic groups, and so on. The Roma, the third largest population group, are the hardest hit by poverty. Unemployment in this community exceeds 60%, and there is a lack of access to healthcare, education and decent housing. Outside the relatively wealthy regions of Skopje and Ohrid, unemployment frequently exceeds 50%. This is particularly true in the Polog region around Tetovo, where the majority of the population is Albanian.

Languages

Most local young people and a certain proportion of tourism professionals speak English or have a basic command of it. Outside the big cities, however, English may be of no use to you. As for French speakers, they are rare. In any case, we recommend starting the conversation with a few local words. It's a matter of respect and will often make things easier for you, especially if accompanied by a smile. But you need to know who you're talking to. We do our best to let you know which communities are the most important in each locality. The Macedonian language is the most widespread. Start by saying dobar den for "good morning". Then move on to zdravo, for "hello", and blagodaram for "thank you". The second most common language is Albanian, which is widely spoken in Skopje, Struga and the Polog region. In this case, say mirëdita for "good morning", mir or tung for "hello" and faleminderit for "thank you". Turks form the third language group. They are concentrated in Skopje, around Debar and in the Reka region. In this case, remember günaydın (pronounced "gunaïdeune") for "hello", merhaba for "greeting" and teşekkürler ("téchékurleur") for "thank you".