13th March 2025, Skopje – Tackling health and economic consequences the smoking entails is a major challenge for all countries in the region, including my own country, with staggering statistical data as regards the tobacco users’ percentage, the number of lives lost due to this addiction, as well as the damages on annual level expressed in Denar billion.
The issue was underscored by Minister of Finance, Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska at the high-level meeting, taking place in Podgorica, organized by the Ministry of Finance of Montenegro in cooperation with the World Health Organization.
“The carried-out studies demonstrate shocking data on tobacco consumption. Unfortunately, my country is the fourth worldwide in the number of cigarettes consumed. Half or around 45% of the adults use tobacco. Consequences are even more devastating with around 5,000 deaths a year and annual costs of Denar 38 billion, implying that immediate action is needed”, Minister of Finance said.
She reflected on the measures Republic of North Macedonia has undertaken so far in support of putting the tobacco use under control, highlighting the introduced excise duties on tobacco and tobacco products and their gradual increase, followed by the new Law on Excises, the ban on smoking in public premises, as well as plenty of measures and activities under the scope of the Customs Administration, all to the end of eliminating illicit trade in tobacco and tobacco products.
“We are actively cooperating with the World Health Organization through the Ministry of Health, pertaining to tobacco control as part of the two-year 2024-2025 Cooperation Agreement, focused on concrete activities. Measures are also being undertaken under the Protocol to Eliminate Illicit Trade in Tobacco Products annexed to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control”, the Minister said, thereby adding that the implementation of the foreseen measure should result in reduced smoking prevalence to 18%, since it is a matter of a comprehensive set of tools for combatting illicit trade, putting a global system for tracking and tracing tobacco products in place, measures on enhancing international cooperation and enforcing sanctions, as well as implementing the respective laws, for the purpose of eliminating illicit trade in tobacco and tobacco products, playing a major role in undermining the policies with respect to tobacco control and public health.
In addition, she communicated 2024 data on ten cases of illicit trade involving 1,335 kilograms of tobacco, fifty cases whereby 300 thousand pieces of cigarettes were seized, three illicit trade cases of e-cigarettes and liquids for e-cigarette refills, with one case involving cigars and another pertaining to SNUS.
Meeting in Podgorica was attended by Ministers and Deputy-Ministers of Finance from the Western Balkan countries, representatives of the World Health Organization and the European Commission, the United Kingdom, Slovenia, the World Bank, the World Customs Organization, the Organization on Economic Cooperation and Development, as well as representatives of the academic community.
