Jelena Tast, PhD was born on November 5, 1978, in Skopje, Republic of Macedonia. She holds a PhD in Economics and is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje.
Jelena Tast received her PhD from the Faculty of Economics at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje in 2014. Her doctoral dissertation was titled: “Foreign Direct Investments Effects in Transition Countries, with highlights on the Republic of Macedonia.” Jelena Tast completed her postgraduate studies at the National University of Athens, Republic of Greece, Faculty of Law, Economic and Political Sciences, Southeast European Studies Program, in 2003, with a scholarship from the Stability Pact of the European Union. Her master’s thesis was on: “The Process of Privatisation in the Republic of Macedonia.” She graduated at the Faculty of Economics at Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Department of Economics, in 2002.
Jelena Tast began her professional career as an advisor on economic affairs in the Government of the Republic of Macedonia from 2003 to 2006. From 2006 to 2017, she continued her career, first as a teaching assistant of the economic and later as an Assistant Professor in the field of economic development and international economic relations. In 2021, she was appointed as State Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, a position she held until 2024. In 2024, she continued her professional engagement as Special Advisor to the Deputy Prime Minister in the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia. Since 2025, Jelena Tast is an Assistant Professor at the Institute for Sociological, Political and Juridical Research, Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, in the scientific field of economics.
Jelena Tast has carried out multiple professional activities in cooperation with state institutions and domestic and international organisations. She has been engaged in domestic and regional projects and activities has participated in the preparation of national documents and laws in her field.
Jelena Tast served as National Coordinator of the Economic Reform Programme of the Republic of North Macedonia for two mandates, in 2022/2023 and 2023/2024. She was a member of the Council on Anti-Money Laundering from 2021 to 2024 and of the Working Committee for European Integration at the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia from 2022 to 2024. Moreover, Jelena Tast also took part in the Public Sector Auditor Certification Programme and in the Public Finance Academy Establishment Programme, in cooperation with the Centre of Excellence in Finance (CEF), Ljubljana, Republic of Slovenia.
Jelena Tast has significant achievements in scientific research. She is the author of more than a dozen scientific and professional papers published in domestic and international journals. She also actively participates in scientific and professional conferences at the national and international levels. She further develops her knowledge by participating in training and seminars at home and abroad.
Jelena Tast mainly focuses on macroeconomic policy, especially public finance and international economics, particularly in transition countries, as well as on the role of globalisation and economic development.
Her mother tongues, in addition to Macedonian, include Serbian. She speaks fluent English and has a basic knowledge of German.
She is married to Petrik Tast and is the mother of Max and Mina.