Skopje, 11 September 2026 (MIA) - I want to assure the citizens that we will have a stable winter, with a stable energy supply, and no oscillation in prices or quantity, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski told journalists Friday.

Mickoski reiterated that the Government is working to ensure the price of electricity remains unchanged or is lowered from January.

"We are working on this to ensure the price at least remains the same from January, but we are also making efforts to reduce the price or extend the cheaper off-peak rate. We maintained our water reservoirs on time, and they are now at around 50 percent. We are in the process of overhauling or finishing up work on thermal plants. Weather forecasts indicate that the heating season should begin between November 2-5, and until then overall preparations will be concluded, although three quarters are already done," the Prime Minister said.

According to the Prime Minister, the country signed an agreement with Kosovo on coal in time, and this will significantly reduce the cost of electricity production.

"In terms of the heating season and the amount of electricity, I don't expect any turbulence. I expect at least the same situation as now – no hikes. When it comes to gas, we are not a significant consumer. The reserves are 25-50 percent lower than the five-year European average and there will be a significant challenge in Europe because of this. I expect the price of gas to perhaps double or triple this winter, but this won't have a big effect in our country, because we usually use cogeneration plants that produce water for heating and also electricity from the steam, therefore input costs are absorbed," Mickoski underscored.

Regarding oil, the Prime Minister said calculations are underway, and there are measures already in place.

"We are prepared and this is the success of this Government – permitting both domestic consumption and re-export. Unlike other countries, we won't introduce a ban on re-exporting oil and petroleum products. We already have cheaper excise fees, a state of crisis has been declared, and because of that measure we have fuel prices cheaper by half a euro per liter compared to neighboring countries from the region. This has resulted in 50 percent increased consumption at some gas stations especially in border regions. Ultimately, we are discussing this issue daily with exporters and we are convinced that we have enough supply, the pipeline is full, state reserves are solid, at this time I see no chance or reason to fear for the winter. What I am concerned about is how long the crisis will last, and this is something that no one in the world can answer," Mickoski said.