Macedonians among poorest in Europe

Makfax News English /MakFax
December 17, 2007

Brussels, 17.12.2007 (Makfax) - Macedonians are among the three poorest
nations in Europe with only 28 percent of the average EU purchasing
power, European statistics bureau Eurostat reported on Monday. Only
Bosnia-Herzegovina with 26 percent and Albania with 21 percent of the
average Union's purchasing power, are ranked behind Macedonia.
Eurostat's survey encompassed a total of 37 countries, including the 27
members of EU, three candidate-countries, three EFTA member-countries
and four countries from Western Balkans. The richest countries in the
region are Greece (98%), Slovenia (88%) and Croatia with about half of
the average EU purchasing power. Romanians, Bulgarians, Serbs,
Montenegrins and Turks have purchasing power of around one-third of the
EU average. The richest EU citizens are the Luxembourgers who enjoy 250
percent more purchasing power than average. The Irish come in second
place with almost 50 percent more than the average. Norwegians, Swiss
and the Dutch also belong to the group of the richest Europeans.
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