According to Kovachevski, “every citizen, including children, will receive at least 8,000 dinars (about 130 euros) from the value of energy companies, that is 500 euros for a family of four.”
North Macedonia’s ruling party Social Democratic Union (SDSM) and its president and former prime minister Dimitar Kovachevski have announced a major energy reform aimed at “putting state-owned energy companies back into the hands of citizens”.
According to Kovachevski, “every citizen, including children, will receive at least 8,000 dinars (about 130 euros) from the value of energy companies, that is 500 euros for a family of four.”
“One of the citizens’ concerns that also concerns me about the operation of state-owned companies is their level of low transparency and low efficiency. This is why we believe that citizens should be involved in the management of these companies and that according to clear stock market rules. And that is why we predict that 49% of the shares of the companies, starting with ESM (Power Plants of North Macedonia), will be awarded to all adult citizens, so we are talking about 1.3 million citizens at least who will receive shares in ESM and later in other state-owned companies,” said Kovachevski.
Increase in RES
“Our plan is to increase power generation by at least 70% to meet domestic electricity needs. In the next four years, increase renewable energy capacity by 100% to reach 60% of total consumption in the country,” Kovacevsky said at a pre-election rally of SDSM and its coalition in the village of Brvenica, near the city of Tetovo. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for May 8, 2024.
Various party officials announce energy reform and discuss the country’s goals for its energy sector. The party’s International Cooperation Secretary, Bojan Maricic, confirmed that SDSM’s goal and program is “the same as that of the European Union and the European Green Deal, which envisages zero harmful gases from fossil fuels by 2050”.
“Our vision is a green country, a healthy living environment for citizens. Clean drinking water in every settlement, sustainable waste management and clean up of illegal dumps. Wastewater treatment for healthy soil for healthy food,” Maricic added.
According to Agriculture Minister Ljuptso Nikolovski, instead of depending on electricity imports, North Macedonia can also upgrade domestic production capacity and use its renewable potential.
“By increasing the installed capacity from renewable sources by at least 100%, compared to 2024, at least 1 million citizens will receive electricity from renewable sources,” Nikolovski pointed out, adding that if the party wins the election, it will “continue to support to vulnerable groups of citizens, to the cost of electricity, but also to support the purchase of new energy-efficient appliances and equipment”.
Tags: hands citizens stateowned energy companies include preelection promises North Macedonia
