All sectors of the economy have been hit by the crisis and therefore the economic growth rate has been corrected from the originally projected 5.5 percent down to 1 percent, said Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski at the press conference Tuesday, at which, together with all cabinet ministers, he presented the package of measures for cushioning the effects of the economic crisis.

The measures include reducing the size of the record high budget of 2.6 billion euros by 9 percent, whereby projected expenditures will be cut by 173 million euros. The wage increase of 10 percent for the public administration employees that should have taken place in September has been postponed for next year and new jobs will not be created in the state administration, except for the sectors for Euro-integration and the Framework Agreement. However, the payment of subsidies to farmers will not be put off.