The state company ESM Prodazba announced that it has made a decision to select a supplier of natural gas for April for the needs of the East, West, Energetika and Skopje North heating plants, as well as for other economic entities that are supplied through ESM Prodazba. The natural gas for April will be purchased at a fixed price of 53,60e/MWh, and the supplier will be the company Makpetrol, the company says.

"Balkan Utilities" had the contract for the purchase of gas for these needs last winter, and the choice of the Bulgarian company caused a revolt at Makpetrol, which claimed to have given a lower price, and since January has completely refused to import gas into the country, complaining of inconsistencies in the government regulations surrounding the import of gas and their implementation.

ESM Sales announced today that Makpetrol will supply the Skopje heating plants and other customers who are supplied through it, after it offered a price in the tender that was only 10 euro cents lower than the offer of the Bulgarian company.

"On the public call that was announced on March 20, 2023 and which was available to all domestic and foreign companies registered for the activity, the delivery of 500 MWh to 1800 MWh quantities of gas per day was requested. Two offers arrived at the call.

The final financial offers excluding VAT, expressed in fixed prices as requested in the call, were as follows:
1. Makpetrol AD ​​- Skopje offered a final fixed price of 53,60 e/MWh
2. Balkan Utilities from Rs. Bulgaria offered a final fixed price of 53,70 e/MWh

Considering that the company Makpetrol offered the lowest fixed price, a decision was made to select Makpetrol as the supplier of natural gas for April.
With this purchase, the needs of natural gas for the production of thermal energy for the East, West, Energetika and Skopje North heating plants will be fully met, as well as for other consumers of natural gas in the Republic of North Macedonia. Citizens should be sure and calm that the continuous supply of thermal energy will continue in April," said ESM Sales.

"Here we want to emphasize that ESM Sales has maintained the same conditions in this fourth public call in a row, and as the holder of the purchase of natural gas for the month of April, the current supplier will also provide a guarantee, which is a condition in the public call, as they had provided warranty and previous suppliers for the past months. Finally, for us as state institutions, it is a professional pleasure to know that the real liberalization of the market from January 1, has led to competition in the natural gas supply market, which obviously results in a reduction in prices and an end to the payment of a certain price dictated by the existence of only one offer", added the state company.