There is no fear that after the planned period for frozen prices for some food products, the old practice of artificially increasing prices will return, says the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Fatmir Bytyqi, and if it comes to that, he pointed out that the citizens will be taken care of and the Government will not let them pay the highest price.

In a market economy, we must behave in a market-like manner. The first positive signals are already coming from the companies that we are here to overcome the crisis together, and I am not afraid that after the price freeze period, the old practice of artificially increasing prices will return in the way that was done for a certain period of time, said Bitici, on journalist's question after visiting a factory in Kumanovo.

According to Bitici, companies are already quite clear that they must behave morally and ethically in crisis conditions.

The fact that we have been calling all the time that there must be social responsibility, there must be moral and ethical behavior of the companies on the market, I think they are already quite clear. But if the opposite happens, as a Government we will not let the citizens pay the highest price. They will be taken care of, said Deputy Prime Minister Bitici.

He called the Market Inspectorate to check the information whether bread is sold in Kumanovo and Kumanovsko at a frozen price of 33 denars but with a lower weight than the one determined by the Government's decision.

Freezing the price of 450 grams of bread after 33 days is not done to harm producers, but to protect consumers, and of course there is some profit in that price. If there is such information, I call the Market Inspectorate in Kumanovo and Kumanovsko to check whether bread is really being sold at a lower weight and at a price of 33 denars, said Bitici.

Any price freeze, whether it's on bread, eggs, pasta... the vice prime minister repeated, is not to the detriment of the companies.

Companies are concerned, they may not sell with the margins they would like, but they certainly have a margin in price. They were adopted and will be adopted in the interest and protection of the citizens, said Bitici.

With the decisions of the Government, from February 28 the price of white and semi-white bread was frozen from 450 grams to 33 denars, from March 16 the prices of some dairy products and pasta, where the price reduction was 10 or 15 percent, and since yesterday it has been frozen and the price of eggs and rice at the amount at which these products were sold on March 15. The frozen price for bread, pasta and dairy products is valid until the end of May, and for eggs and rice until the end of April.

The Ministry of Agriculture has already prepared an analysis for the prices of fruits and vegetables, and the decision will be made by the Ministry of Economy in accordance with the Trade Law.