Skopje, 16 December 2021 (MIA) – Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi reiterated on Thursday that the price of electricity will increase by up to 10%. “I stand by what I’ve said and we’ll wait until the end of the month to see what the ERC has decided. We’ve conducted necessary analysis, not just the Economy Ministry, but other institutions as well, such as ESM, EVN and MEPSO. In line with these, I stand by my position. The increase will not be more than 10%,” Bekteshi told reporters after the CEFTA Week closing conference ‘15 YEARS MAKING TRADE HAPPEN.’ He underlined that the increase will not be exactly 10%, but up to 10%, which is anything between 0 and 9.99%. Moreover, the Minister added, new electricity price models are in the works, aiming to encourage citizens to save electricity, “Most vulnerable categories may even have lower electricity bills starting June 2021, while families who use more power and are probably richer, will have to pay more. Electricity prices are set twice a year,” Bekteshi underlined. He noted that the biannual decision is made by the Energy Regulatory Commission, based on demands from EVN Home, ESM and MEPSO. The ERC decides whether these demands are justified. “They can ask for 100% or 2,000% increase, but we’ll see what the ERC decides. In regard to an electricity price increase, I’ve made my position clear and stand by what I’ve said,” the Minister reiterated.