Modernization of the Employment Service Agency and capacity building of its staff towards increase in service quality and meeting requirements related to EU accession in the field of European employment policy is the goal of the project promoted Thursday by Minister of Labor and Social Policy Spiro Ristovski and Head of EU Delegation to Macedonia Aivo Orav.

"The successful implementation of this project is to result in an Employment Service Agency in the true sense of the word, turning it from an office that registers unemployed individuals into a service agency that enables contact of the unemployed with those seeking workforce", said Minister Ristovski.

Ambassador Orav stressed that investments in people and their capacities has always yielded results. The EUR 1,3 million for the project have been allocated from the EU programme for human resources development within the fourth IPA component.

"The nation is rich as much as its people are rich. The state should not hesitate in investing towards their upgrading, thus improving access to employment and increasing their capacities and capabilities. Moreover, labor market stability is secured in this way", added Orav.

Employment Service Agency director Vlatko Popovski said the project activities would prepare the institution's staff for the challenges resulting from the economic crisis and finding new ways to reduce unemployment, be it passive or active measures, as well as many European projects to be implemented in the future.