Mickoski Expects Diesel and Petrol Prices to Drop Next Week
The prime minister assures the country has enough fuel reserves until New Year's and that talks are underway with OKTA for an additional discount, at a time when the budget is simultaneously under pressure from reduced excise and VAT on fuel.
Prime Minister Christijan Mickoski said he expects diesel and petrol prices to drop next week, stressing that the country has enough fuel reserves to get through the heating season without interruptions until New Year's. According to him, talks are also underway with refiner OKTA for an additional discount on pump prices.
The announcement comes alongside the statement that the same measures reducing excise and VAT, which are already contributing to lower pump prices, are simultaneously creating a 6 to 7 billion denar hole in the budget, requiring a second rebalance this year. The irony is obvious — the lower pump price is a direct consequence of the fiscal measures that now require a budget correction.
For drivers, the question isn't whether the price will drop next week, but whether that drop will be sustainable once budget pressure forces a decision — whether the government will keep the reduced rates past their current deadline, or will have to choose between higher pump prices and additional cuts elsewhere in the budget.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 5, 2026
