As reports of food shortages – especially of cooking oil – continue to rise, Agriculture Minister Ljupco Nikolovski said that these are fake news and that Serbia will continue to supply Macedonia with the vital food supplies.

We are in constant consultations with Serbia. We expect them to lift their ban on exports. I ask that the spread of fake news stops and that we end with the divisions, labelling and hatred. This is a time when we need to help all the citizens, Nikolovski said.

He added that a joint committee between Macedonia and Serbia met seven times and are discussing lifting the Serbian ban on grain exports as well, while Turkey should supply us with fertilizers.