Skopje, 4 January 2023 (MIA) – The opportunities for the development and deepening of energy cooperation, mainly in the area of supply of electricity and natural gas, taking into account the energy policies amid an energy crisis, were the topic of discussion at Wednesday’s working meeting between the Macedonian Minister of Economy, Kreshnik Bekteshi, and the Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Fatih Dönmez, in Skopje.

The meeting was also attended by the ESM Director General Vasko Kovachevski, the Executive Director of NER, Bajram Rexhepi, the Director General of MEPSO, Orhan Murtezani, the Director of GA-MA, Aleksandar Arsikj, as well as the President of the Energy and Water Services Regulatory Commission, Marko Bislimovski. Minister Dönmez was accompanied by the Director General of BOTAŞ, Burhan Özcan and the Director General of TEİAŞ, Orhan Kaldirim.

According to the Ministry of Economy, the excellent bilateral cooperation between the two countries was noted at the meeting, while Minister Bekteshi expressed his gratitude for Türkiye’s current support and the interest in providing energy resources for the needs of the country.

“Once again, we can see the great cooperation between the two countries. At the beginning of the energy crisis, the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources was the first place that we turned to for support. Today they expressed interest to continue cooperation and to help meet the needs of the country and the citizens,” said Bekteshi.

He stated that an energy cooperation memorandum with Türkiye is in the final stage of drafting, and is expected to be signed in the coming period. The memorandum will create opportunities for increasing cooperation and investments in the field of energy.

“We will sign a memorandum of cooperation in energy, the text is already in the final stage of drafting and will be signed in the coming period. I am convinced that we will overcome this crisis together and we will create new opportunities for the development of the economies of both countries,” said Bekteshi, and added that North Macedonia has an interest in attracting as many Turkish investments as possible, especially in the area of renewable energy and the production of electricity.

“North Macedonia will participate in every initiative by Türkiye, such as a regional market of electricity and other initiatives,” said Bekteshi.

Both ministers agreed to intensify discussions in the coming period regarding the possibility of energy and gas supply from Türkiye, and that both countries have a traditionally excellent cooperation in energy. The ministers expressed their hope that this cooperation will deepen in the future. ad/ba/