Социјална димензија на економската криза: перцепции на граганите
Social dimension of the economic crises: Citizen’s perceptions

Summary/Abstract: The article focuses on citizens' attitudes but also on their actual status and access in the labour market, social protection, education and health during the past 12 months (involving the time period up to September 2009). The results analyzed within this article are taken from the quantitative survey realized by the opinion research agency ‘Rating’ in the period between 5-15 September 2009. The survey, based on the standardized questionnaire, included 1068 households on representative sample of the population in Macedonia. On the basis of the quantitative analysis the article shows that the labour market participation, which was already very low before the crises, decreased even more in the last 12 months. Study results show that 19% of the respondents have lost their job in 2009. Citizens perceptions on social protection (social assistance and pensions) show that 70% of all respondents expect that it will be negatively influenced by the crises. The article indicates a low use of social assistance (7% in 2009), as well as low inclination towards social assistance as a copying strategy during the crises. The impact of crises on education, as indicated by the majority of respondents who are or have a member attending education, has contributed towards increase of household costs for education in this on in the past year. Similarly, school attendance was also affected, due to expensive education in general, as well as due to travelling and study material costs. Finally, the study shows that the access to health care and insurance is not universal. In addition, prevailing majority are not satisfied with the health provision and imply that the informal payments are the only mean to a quality health care.

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