Skopje, 11 September 2024 (MIA) - Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said Wednesday that an autumn market basket of items citizens mostly use is being prepared, but he noted there will also be a spring market basket. As regards the law banning unfair trade practices, he said the Government will respond to the economy if a certain adjustment period is needed.  

Mickoski told reporters on Wednesday that prices have stabilized, slowly but surely, and the inflation rate, which stood at 2.2 percent in August, is a good result.

"We will have a New Year's basket, an autumn basket of a kind of selection of products that are most used in that time of the year, we will have a spring basket, etc. Depending on what the needs of the citizens are, depending on what is spent the most, we will see how the process goes, and we will not allow a high rate of inflation to happen again, which will negatively affect the standard of the citizens. I am extremely pleased that the inflation rate in August is 2.2 percent at the annual level, compared to August last year, which is a really good result, given the situation in the region, and is among the first in the region, i.e. the first in terms of low inflation rate, and I would also say competitive in Europe and is lower within the Eurozone, which is good. So, slowly but surely the prices have stabilized, and we will continue to take care of the standard of the citizens in the coming period," the PM pointed out. 

He said he still hasn't received the letters from the economic chambers regarding the law banning unfair trade practices.  

"Unfortunately, I have not received the letters yet. According to the information I get from the Economic Chamber, there is, I would say, a kind of disagreement between the trade chains, traders and manufacturers. But, that's the Law. If the Economic Chamber sends an official request to the Government for a week, or two, three, five weeks, or how many weeks they might need to adjust, I see no reason why this should not happen. We work in the interest of business, the interest of the economy, in the interest of the citizens, and I think we are doing it well so far. We will see how things go in the future. We do not intend to be stubborn, nor do we intend to do things by force. If an adjustment period is needed, I see no reason why it should not happen," said Mickoski. 

Photo: MIA archive