There will be no shortage of diesel in Macedonia, and regarding whether the price of this type of fuel will increase, Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi once again reminded that it is a stock price. Bekteshi informs that in the last few years the amount of diesel from Russia is between 15 and 20 percent and the import is made by a company that has Russian capital and is supplied by a Russian refinery.

- We as a government have decided that we will respect the sanctions of the European Commission on the import of Russian oil - Minister Bekteshi said at today's press conference.

Macedonia does not import oil, and the biggest importer of oil products is OKTA.

According to the latest data on the oil derivatives market, 2021 tons were imported in 1.090.610. "OKTA" participates with 69 percent, followed by "Super Trade Skopje" with 11,4 percent, "Lukoil Macedonia" DOOEL - Skopje with 7,8 percent, "Crna Reka petrol" with 3 percent...

Minister Bekteshi informed that "Hellenic Petroleum" does not use Greek oil.

"OKTA" has not processed oil for a long time, but imports oil derivatives, and the Greek refinery "Hellenic Petroleum" (ELPE), which is part of the group that owns "OKTA", worked intensively on new suppliers last year, in order to cover the part that was procured from Russia. ELPE management, which joined the business delegation that accompanied Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on a visit to Saudi Arabia last year, reached an agreement with Aramco for more crude oil purchases.
And the second largest supplier of oil products in Macedonia, "Super Trade", confirms that the embargo on the purchase of oil and oil products from Russia will not cause a problem in their supply.

- We all make purchases from Greece, and Greece, as a member of the EU, does not purchase oil from Russia at all since February 5. There are no problems in supply. In the EU, all countries have planned diversification - Vladimir Stajic, owner of Super Trade, told "Sloboden Pechat".

Luke Oil also operates in Macedonia, it is the third largest importer of petroleum products. This Russian company has 35 gas stations and an oil warehouse in Shtip. Gasoline produced by the "LUKOIL - Neftohim Burgas" refinery comes to our gas stations.

"Sloboden Pechat" sent a question to "Lukoil" whether it expects a regular supply of fuels, but we did not receive an answer.

Europe took another big step towards severing energy ties with Russia by banning the import of diesel fuel and petroleum products from Russian refineries on February 5. But earlier on the same relationship was the decree signed by the Russian President Vladimir Putin, which prohibits the export of oil and oil derivatives to the countries that supported the limitation of the price of Russian oil. The ban took effect on February 1 and will be in effect for the next five months. The ban came after the G7 group, the EU and Australia agreed in early December to cap the price of Russian crude at $60 a barrel in response to Moscow's war on Ukraine.