Skopje, 30 May 2023 (MIA) – The energy transition is a key tool in dealing with climate change, but it must be inclusive. Urgent action is necessary to diversify energy sources, but also to develop markets, so they can follow the changes by creating an enabling and encouraging environment, this was said at the opening of the MEF Energy Forum 2023, held Tuesday in Skopje.

“Rapid climate change and degradation of the environment are leading to an urgent transformation from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy with low emissions of greenhouse gases, which we should see as an imperative in the creation and implementation of our projects. We are moving rapidly towards renewable sources of energy, but the planning and preparation for the next stages is what will guarantee sustainability and stability,” said the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of economic affairs, Fatmir Bytyqi.

According to Bytyqi, the economy faces a future in which the source of vital energy from fossil fuels is moving towards wind, sun and water. He assessed that the development of markets, in order to make them capable of following changes, is only possible through the creation of an enabling and encouraging environment.

“Our country is a leader in the region when it comes to adopted and implemented legislation which is fully aligned with the European Energy Community, and enables the liberalization of the energy market. With the alignment of energy policy, modern energy technologies and the mobilization of finances, we are paving the road for a sustainable and prosperous energy future, set to alleviate climate change. All Government policies and measures aimed at creating a better energy future for the country are focused on the construction of new capacities of base load energy and the production of energy from renewables,” said Bytyqi.

The importance of energy connectivity was stressed at the forum as well, through the construction of the interconnector with Albania, which will complete Corridor VIII for the transport of electricity between Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Albania and Italy. As well as the increase of capacity for transporting electricity on Corridor X, by doubling the capacity of the Bitola – Florina interconnector over the coming years.

The diversification of natural gas supply through the construction of the interconnector with Greece, said Bytyqi, means that North Macedonia would no longer be dependent solely on Russian gas, which is coming from the interconnector with Bulgaria, but that the country would also have other sources available from the LNG terminal in Alexandroupolis

The U.S. Ambassador to North Macedonia, Angela Aggeler, also highlighted the need to diversify energy sources, saying that Europe and North Macedonia are at a crossroads.

"We made efforts all over Europe, with our partners, to keep homes in North Macedonia warm, but these questions are still unresolved. Winter will come again and I urge everyone to act urgently to diversify energy sources," the Ambassador said.

The head of the Open Society Foundation for the Western Balkans, Andi Dobrushi, underscored the wealth of natural resources from renewable sources, but said, vision and innovation are needed as well. 

“The green energy transition is an opportunity to create new unions for economically sustainable development,” said Dobrushi.

According to the data of the International Renewable Energy Agency, a historic record was achieved globally in 2022, with the installation of renewable energy production capacities of 295 gigawatts, which represents 83 percent of the total investments in the production of electricity.

The MEF Energy Forum 2023 is organized by the ZIP Institute, in partnership with the Government and the Delegation of the European Union in Skopje, under the auspices of Deputy PM Bytyqi.

Photo: Government of North Macedonia