Oil closes week about 10% higher — PM Mickoski says no new fuel measures
Oil surged about 10% at week’s close; government says no additional measures for fuels while electricity and gas prices also climb.
Oil futures closed the week about 10% higher, a jump that has renewed concern about what drivers will face at the pumps when the new trading week begins. Authorities say no fresh fuel measures are planned for now beyond the already reduced excise tax.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski argued that local fuel prices remain among the lowest in Europe and warned that simple price comparisons ignore differences in purchasing power between countries.
"When you buy a product from the same place you cannot compare it with the purchasing power of citizens because that is like comparing apricots with lemons and to say that it is the same. No, it is not the same — a different type of fruit is one, a different type of fruit is the other," said Hristijan Mickoski, prime minister.
The opposition challenged that assessment, saying households can now afford less fuel than people in neighbouring states.
"We are at the bottom among the countries in the region by the quantity of fuel that citizens can buy with their incomes; this is where this government has brought us," said Venko Filipche, president of SDSM.
Prices and wider energy risks
Looking back five years, fuels were most expensive in 2022 during the previous energy crisis: diesel reached 110 denars per litre and petrol climbed to 111.5 denars per litre. The pressure is not limited to oil — gas and power prices are also rising.
On energy exchanges, electricity is trading at around 200 euros per megawatt-hour, while gas prices keep breaking records. The government says it does not expect major energy shocks this coming winter but highlights the uncertainty linked to the duration of the ongoing armed conflict abroad.
Mr. Mickoski added his expectation that retail electricity prices will remain stable from January, though he left open whether there will be room for price reductions. Authorities say a clearer picture will emerge once the heating season starts and insisted the country will be ready.
Photo: press material from the event
