Mickoski: Without excise and VAT cuts, diesel would be about 11 denars/litre more
Mickoski says combined excise and VAT decisions produce daily savings above €250,000 and the Government temporarily cut diesel VAT to 10%.
Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the government measures to cut excise duties and value-added tax prevented a roughly 11–11.5 denar-per-litre rise in diesel prices. He argued the interventions have produced daily savings for citizens and businesses amid international supply concerns.
Mickoski told reporters that sales at Macedonian petrol stations have climbed, particularly at stations close to the northern, western and southern borders because motorists from Greece, Albania and Serbia are refuelling in North Macedonia.
Temporary VAT cut and its projected effect
Explaining the calculations, he said: "We reached more than two million liters of fuel pumped at Macedonian petrol stations. Considering that roughly 70 percent is diesel fuel, then we come to somewhere around 1,400,000–1,500,000 liters. That means that just on diesel, the daily saving of Macedonian citizens is more than 250,000 euros. Or if you take two weeks and if you take into account the already reduced excise, i.e. the excise on unleaded 95 and 98-octane, then we reach a figure between 4.2 and 4.5 million euros, which is direct protection that Macedonian citizens have. The indirect protection is projected in the low inflation rate," he said.
The Government decided to lower the VAT on diesel from 18% to 10% as a temporary measure to soften the price shock. The reduced rate applies from midnight on 15 September until 28 September.
Mickoski also stressed that North Macedonia currently has some of the lowest retail prices for diesel and for unleaded 95- and 98-octane petrol in the region and, he said, well below many EU countries. "If compared with the price our neighbors have, and even in Europe, then the difference is 20 and 50 percent. That means the Government takes care within its possibilities, but even beyond that to protect the citizens' standard," he added. He noted that only Serbia shows an inflation rate about 0.3–0.2 percentage points lower than Macedonia.
Separately, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) adopted new retail price adjustments: petrol prices rise by 3.5 denars per litre while diesel falls by 2 denars. The new official prices are: eurosuper BS-95 at 100.50 denars per litre, eurosuper BS-98 at 102.50 denars per litre, and diesel at 99 denars per litre.
Photo: press material from the event
