The Macedonian Government announced today that it will subsidize gas heating bills in the capital Skopje, given the huge spike in natural gas prices caused by the Russian invasion on Ukraine.

The Government already had the state owned ELEM/ESM energy company temporarily take over the BEG central heating company, practically subsidizing gas heating in Skopje. About 60,000 households are heated with circulating warm water, heated by several gas fired plants, and the new gas prices made BEG a deeply lossmaking business overnight.

On top of this de-facto subsidy, the Government will also support the growing heating bills from the public budget. It is using the powers given by the state of crisis declared due to natural and man-made disasters.