Bislimoski: If the EU does not back down from the carbon tax, only countries that are not members of the bloc will trade in electricity

Skopje – If Europe does not deviate from the plan to introduce a carbon tax in the member states of the Energy Community (EC), instead of integration with the EU member states and the creation of a single common European market, we will end up trading electricity exclusively between countries that are not EU members, said Marko Bislimoski, president of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) at the forum dedicated to challenges in the energy sector, titled “Center for Energy Policy of the Western Balkans,” held in Pristina.

Bislimoski explained that the final price of electricity offered on the open market will not be competitive, because the price will increase due to the carbon tax.

– We can adopt the best legislation, but the key issue is what results the implementation of a certain law delivers in practice. All member states of the Energy Community cooperate and deliver reforms because that is the only way to move forward, said Bislimoski.

The Western Balkans, he added, has sun and wind and if we look at the figures, since the beginning of the energy crisis all investments have been precisely in renewable energy plants.

– Nevertheless, electricity production from coal is present and dominant because this resource provides baseload energy, which is crucial for the stability of the power system. With the implementation of the carbon tax, the integration of the Western Balkan countries with the EU member states will be blocked. There is no chance that the owner of a production facility from these countries will export outside the EU and we will remain closed within a regional framework, Bislimoski said.

He emphasized that the benefits of the reforms being implemented must be felt by the citizens, and Europe must be aware that they must be supported through a process of subsidies.

– We live in an environment where the air is extremely polluted and we spend a lot of money on treating citizens. Energy reforms are closely linked to the environment. The question is simple – how do these reforms contribute to a better environment? It must be explained how much money our health institutions spend because of polluted air. There must be measures, citizens must know that the policy of reforms in the sector is delivering results and the narrative will change. It is necessary to completely reconstruct financial aid for vulnerable consumers and to remodel the conditions for the use of photovoltaic plants in households. In this way, citizens will understand that the reforms are for the common good, said Bislimoski. (15 December 2025)