Skopje, 14 May 2025 (MIA) – Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski stated Wednesday that if food prices increase sharply by the end of the month, measures will be implemented and remain in effect until the end of the year.

Responding to a journalist’s question on whether, due to citizens’ complaints about rising food prices, the government would wait for the results of the State Market Inspectorate’s price control report, after the government’s decision restricting profit margins expired on April 30, Mickoski said that according to the figures presented to him two days ago by relevant minister, there is no such information. 

"We are monitoring the situation. I don’t have such information. I spoke with the minister two days ago, we had a meeting and he showed me the figures. I have no indication that this is happening. However, if it does happen by the end of the month, measures will automatically be implemented and will remain in effect until the end of the year. We have made it clear that such tricks will not be tolerated. We are hearing about schemes where money is channelled through proxy legal entities under the cover of marketing or PR services, which in effect are used to pay the margins of certain retail chains. These reports are reaching us, and we are disturbed by what we’re hearing. At the same time, it’s good that this information is coming to light, because this is not the way to build a genuine partnership," Mickoski said during the cornerstone laying ceremony for a school sports hall in the Goce Delchev primary school in the village of Dolno Lisiche, Aerodrom Municipality.

During the press conference on May 8, Minister of Economy and Labour, Besar Durmishi, said that teams of the State Market Inspectorate are on the ground checking whether traders, distributors or producers are unfairly hiking food prices. If price hikes are confirmed, stricter measures will be taken.

Among the measures being considered in case of an excessive increase in food prices is the limitation of profit margins, but, as he said, the margin percentage could also be increased.

Photo: MIA archive