Tripunovski: Despite critical lake levels, they are still being emptied to produce electricity

We keep pumping water out of our lakes to produce electricity despite the water levels being at their worst in decades, said Interim Deputy Agriculture Minister Cvetan Tripunovski.

A number of lakes, including Prespa and Mavrovo, are at critically low levels, after the exceptionally dry Autumn. This can be rectified by reducing outflows used to produce energy, but in some lakes it would have negative effects on neighboring Albania and would also be costly.

Waters from the artificial lakes are still let out to produce electricity. The situation on lake Tikves is alarming, it will endanger the tobacco growers. There is no lake with safe levels, Tripunovski said.