Skopje, 27 October 2022 (MIA) – The government will support the producers of cooking oil, baked goods, dairy and mill products, as well as milk processors, it is possible that the list will be expanded to include companies from the meat industry. They will pay electricity below 100 euro per megawatt hours, which is twice less than the regulated market price. As a result of this the market is expected to stabilize, and then the price of bread is expected to drop by about 10 percent. Minister of Economy, Kreshnik Bekteshi, announced Thursday that by the end of the day the economic chambers should submit additional proposals which would expand the list of supported companies. All calculations regarding the possible financial implications will be completed by Friday, after which a decision will be made. Bekteshi said he expects that as a result of the electricity price reduction, the food industry companies will reduce the prices of their products as well. If, however, someone abuses the situation and sells domestic basic products at higher prices than the imported ones, he said the option for the Government to freeze the prices of certain food products remains on the table. According to the companies, cheaper electricity for one month will enable a stabilization of the market, after which the price of baked goods could be reduced by about 10 percent. Bekteshi stated that the operating expenses of companies will be reduced by the end of April. “With that, of course, the companies will be able to make additional calculations in determining the price of products. In the same way, almost similar decisions have been drawn up in cooperation with ESM and the other energy companies, as well as the institutions, especially the Central Registry,” said the Minister. Asked on whether domestic milk will continue to be more expensive than the imported milk, Bekteshi said that the government possesses the appropriate mechanisms to deal with this issue. “I do not think it will be more expensive. The government has mechanisms, if the situation is abused, we could directly freeze the prices of certain food products,” said Bekteshi. The Vice President of the Macedonian Chambers of Commerce, Goran Gjorgjievski, explained that the reduction of the price of electricity will be followed by a stabilization of the market, and then only after that will it be possible to say how much the prices of basic products will drop. Gjorgjievski stressed that multiple steps are necessary for this, however, this first step, he said, is very significant. ad/nn/