Andreevski: Gas prices are up 211% this year, heating tariff increase in Skopje unavoidable

The price of natural gas has risen sharply, standing 211 percent higher than at the beginning of the year. Since the beginning of October alone, it has increased by 36 percent, energy expert Mitko Andreevski told TV Telma.

He said the regulator would inevitably raise the price of thermal energy in Skopje. Andreevski warned that this would add to the burden on households and affect the energy policies pursued by the government.

He opposed the idea of Skopje giving up central heating because it depends on natural gas. As he explained, thermal energy helps tackle pollution in the city, and around 60,000 households rely on it. If the supply of thermal energy were cut off, these households would heat their homes with electricity, which, he said, would lead to catastrophe.

Andreevski said there was no gas shortage in Macedonia, but raised questions about the inspection of pipelines built 11 years ago.

“Kleçovcë–Shtip, Shtip–Negotinë, Negotinë–Manastir began and were built in 2015–2016. Today we are at the end of 2026. So, a gas pipeline built 10 years ago has been neither protected nor inspected,” Andreevski said.