North Macedonia declares electricity crisis over fuel oil shortage

North Macedonia's government declared a seven-day state of crisis over electricity supply due to disruptions in fuel oil deliveries from Greece.

The measure allows the state-owned electricity company ESM to use mandatory state reserves of fuel oil without compensation, the government said in a statement.

"This decision arises due to the inability to supply fuel oil, which is essential for production. The state reserves of oil-derived fuel oil will be transferred without compensation and ESM is obliged to report to the government and the Ministry of Finance on the consumption of fuel oil," the government in Skopje said after a cabinet meeting on Monday.

ESM had requested the government declare a state of crisis due to difficulties in supplying lignite and fuel oil from Greece.

The company attributed the disruptions to blockades imposed by Greek farmers on border crossings with North Macedonia, which has affected the supply of key energy resources for electricity production.

ESM said the crisis declaration was necessary to enable the use of state reserves and ensure energy sufficiency until border crossings resume normal operations.

Most electricity in North Macedonia is generated by ESM plants using lignite and fuel oil.

Bulgaria offered emergency fuel oil supplies to North Macedonia following the crisis declaration, according to Bulgaria's government information service.

The offer was communicated during a phone call between Bulgarian Foreign Minister Georg Georgiev and his Macedonian counterpart Timčo Mucunski, according to reports.

Greek farmers have staged road and border blockades across northern Greece since late November, protesting delayed subsidy payments, low producer prices and rising production costs.

The demonstrators have blocked major motorways including the Athens-Thessaloniki highway and border crossings with Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Turkey, disrupting international freight traffic.

Farmers are demanding higher subsidies, tax relief, guaranteed minimum prices for agricultural products and compensation for rising fuel and fertiliser costs.

The protests, which have involved thousands of tractors positioned at blockade points, temporarily eased travel restrictions for the Christmas holiday period but protesters vowed to intensify actions afterwards.