SKOPJE, March 11 (Xinhua) -- To prevent potential shortages and protect domestic consumers, the government of North Macedonia decided on Friday to ban for 10 days (until March 20) the export of cereals, such as wheat, corn and sunflower seeds and oil, Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi told a press conference here.
According to the minister, this "is a preventive measure to avoid bigger disruptions to the market." Its aim is to "protect the citizens amid a pandemic and while facing one of the largest economic crises in recent times."
Bekteshi underlined that the government remains fully committed to minimizing the negative effects of the current crisis.
He stressed that the citizens should not be concerned as the country had sufficient food reserves to meet domestic needs.
On Wednesday, the government of North Macedonia approved 26 measures and recommendations worth a total of 400 million euros (436.7 million U.S. dollars) to alleviate the consequences of the economic crisis and the Ukraine-Russia conflict.
The measures include a preferential zero-percent value added tax (VAT) rate for basic food products and a 10 percent decrease in VAT diesel, unleaded fuel and gas oil. ■