The Energy Regulatory Commission decreed an increase of electricity prices by 7.4 percent. The move comes weeks after the elections, during which the ruling SDSM party campaigned, among other distributive measures, on its re-introduction of subsidized prices for several hours a day.

These subsidies will remain in place, the Commission decided, but the overall prices will go sharply up. The Commission insisted that the decision was reached after the two state run energy companies, ELEM (production) and MEPSO (power-line management) said that their revenue dropped significantly because of the coronavirus epidemic.

The opposition VMRO-DPMNE party blamed corruption in the management of REK Bitola, the main coal plant in Macedonia, for the poor financial situation of ELEM. VMRO claims that the ruling Zaev family is bleeding money from REK Bitola toward its own businesses.

Leaked tape shows henchmen of the Zaev family ordering that the car of an opposition activist is set on fire to cover up corruption in REK Bitola