“Less expenses, more for you” was the measure adopted today at the Government session aimed at easing the financial burden on families with students by reducing the cost of school supplies.

This initiative is designed to improve the standard of living and economic situation for thousands of Macedonian families.

The decision includes limiting the maximum trade, i.e., profit margin, on essential school supplies such as notebooks, backpacks, crayons, plasticine, pads, felt-tip pens, markers, oil crayons, acrylic paints, water-based paints and brushes, linear and didactic materials, sharpeners and erasers, children’s scissors, cases and school accessories, compasses, calculators, chalks, blackboards, utensils, cups, holders, and other necessary items for students. This will lead to lower prices and increased accessibility for all citizens, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski stated today.

According to Mickoski, the margin in wholesale will be capped at 5%, while in retail, it will be limited to 10%.

“In contrast to previous years, when we faced protests and shortages of textbooks, this school year began without issues, and the Government is supporting the education system with decisive measures. Our actions are in stark contrast to the policies of the previous government, which allowed high expenses for families and a lack of essential textbooks and materials.

Our goal is clear: to create a stable and prosperous future for all citizens. The government will continue to work diligently to improve living conditions, demonstrating daily that we are different and far more responsible than our predecessors,” Mickoski said.

The Prime Minister also noted that an analysis of import customs declarations and retail pricing revealed that many products are subject to monopolistic or duopolistic practices. These practices often lead to prices being double the import costs, affecting the affordability of school supplies.

“For example, markers with an import price of 60.1 denars are sold at 130 denars in retail. Charcoal for drawing, with an import price of 68.6 MKD, is sold at 200 MKD in retail. Crayons, imported at 69.5 MKD, are sold for 120 to 150 MKD. Pencils with an import price of 54.1 denars are sold for 120 denars, and A4 notebooks, with an import price of 40.1 MKD, are sold at 85 MKD.

In many cases, the retail prices are at least double the import prices. We believe that with this measure, costs can be significantly reduced, possibly by half,” Mickoski added.

The Prime Minister also announced that similar restrictions on margins and profits will continue to target individuals who generate excessive profits, thereby fueling inflation and acting against the interests of the citizens.