Government prepares excise duty reduction on fuels from next week

The Prime Minister of North Macedonia, Hristijan Mickoski, today emphasized the Government’s ongoing commitment to keeping fuel prices under control and improving the population’s quality of life.

During a statement to the media, Mickoski spoke about the tense situation in the Persian Gulf and the strained relations between the US and Iran, noting that the Government is carefully monitoring this dynamic, as it could also have consequences on international oil markets, and consequently on the domestic fuel market.

He announced that the state of crisis continues until July 20 and expressed confidence that the prerequisites for a new fiscal relief have already been met. “I estimate that from Monday we will again have a reduction in excise duties on unleaded gasoline and diesel,” Mickoski said.

However, the head of the executive clarified that before a definitive decision is made, it is necessary for the markets to close and an assessment of price trends to be carried out during the first two weeks of this period.

Mickoski reaffirmed his cabinet’s commitment to this line of action, underlining that North Macedonia today has the most favorable fuel prices in the entire region. He dismissed comparisons with the purchasing power of other countries, arguing that the value of oil is shaped on global exchanges and that both Macedonia and Germany are supplied from the same market, as neither country possesses oil reserves to exploit directly.

Reviewing the situation in neighboring countries, the prime minister highlighted the large cost differences. He pointed out that in Albania prices are about 70 percent higher, in Greece almost double, while in Serbia citizens pay about 50 percent more for fuels. “All of these are the fruit of our Government’s policies, which aim for a more dignified standard of living for everyone,” concluded Mickoski./INA/