Skopje, 26 October 2021 (MIA) – Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said Tuesday he doesn’t expect inflation to surpass three percent by the year-end, noting that the state is fully prepared for stabilization after the rise of energy prices in Europe. “We don’t expect inflation to surpass three percent, namely it stands at 2.8 percent according to the latest data, as is expected for the coming years. The Denar exchange rate is stable as are prices. The international market affects prices of certain products, such as the cooking oil prices six months ago or the gas and electricity prices nowadays. We cannot influence this but the state is fully prepared for stabilization after the rise of energy prices in Europe,” PM Zaev told reporters. He said the Accelerated Growth Plan that the Government adopted today would not be funded only through loans but also own funds. “Considering we are targeting a deficit of 2.2 percent and the current one of 6.5 percent, this means we will take less and return more. Management of public finances and stimulation of domestic and foreign investments reaffirm the solid economic situation in the country and the right path we have taken,” said Zaev. As NATO members, he added, and hopefully having opened EU clusters and chapters in 2022 and through fostering goodneighborly relations, we will have the wind in our backs for accelerated economic growth. The PM said the next four years will focus on energy, recalling on the recent announcement of the EUR 500 million investment of German company WPD in a wind park in Sveti Nikole, along with other investments in photovoltaics and solar plants, gasification across the country, construction of motorways, railways, water supply and sewerage networks, filtering stations, landfills etc.