A cyber attack a few days ago against the Health Insurance Fund in North Macedonia has paralyzed salary payments for health workers, health insurance for citizens, payments for new or expecting mothers, and medical reports.

The system did not have any data to be able to make regular payments, while this situation has worried the doctors and medical personnel who came out in protest to demand the January salary.

“There was dissatisfaction because we did not receive the salary, which was supposed to be received on February 10, while it was delayed by 10 days. The maximum legal deadline of the 15th was also violated. People don’t have money, they have loans. Who will pay the interest? Who will pay your bills?” – said Renata Gjakonovic from the Independent Hospital Union.

The Confederation of Independent Trade Unions warned of radicalization if no long-term solution is found for this and the ongoing salaries because they fear that a chain of delays will be created.

“Today there was a protest. All options are open, blockades, protests, strikes. We will not stand idly by. We will find a systematic solution,” said Marjan Ristevski.

Under these conditions, the Health Fund has announced that the salaries will be transferred to the account on Tuesday together with interest. During the last days, the institutions manually submitted the data to the doctors in order to make the payments, while the entire system of the Fund is slowly getting back into operation.