Skopje, 8 October 2022 (MIA) - The government every day is talking with the chambers of commerce how it can help large companies that are on the liberalized market. A new set of measures is expected to be completed by the end of October, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said Saturday. According to him, VAT reduction is not key in terms of reducing the electricity price, which has increased tenfold compared to the prices before the Russia-Ukraine conflict. What we need to do at the moment, Kovachevski stressed, is to maximize energy production and put into operation all production capacities. "The country is considering helping large consumers on the liberalized market. We're in talks to provide cheaper electricity with Bulgaria, Turkey, Greece and Serbia. A set of measures is being prepared that is due to be completed by the end of October. All characteristics of the industries will be taken into account. Based on the analysis and the budgetary capacity, we will provide financial aid to the companies on the liberalized market," Kovachevski told reporters. He recalled VAT was reduced last year, which now stands by 11 percent. "We did it to facilitate the purchasing of a number of basic products. We can make an analysis here too, but I don't believe that VAT reduction is key to reduce the electricity price," the PM stated. He reiterated the country has provided aid several times responding to the crisis. "80% of the citizens' bills have been subsidized and 72,000 companies on the regulated market pay lower bills," PM Kovachevski said insisting the country has done a lot to cushion the electricity price shock. Also, the PM announced that yet another energy producing capacity will be put in operation this coming Monday. "I think that during my almost ten-month tenure we will have an installed power of new electricity production capacities that equals the installed power launched in the past 30 years," Kovachevski stated.