Greeks are buying gold coins in Macedonia in order not to lose their euro savings, claim people from Bitola Bazaar.
– The crisis has forced Greeks to turn their euro savings into gold. Here gold is cheaper, so they are looking for gold coins in our jewelry shops or buying big pieces of gold jewelry. Half a gold coin here costs about 10,000 denars – says our interlocutor, a shopkeeper in the Old Bitola Bazaar.
According to him, Greeks also went in Prilep, Kichevo and Debar for gold.
Greeks also come for cheaper gasoline and cigarettes in Bitola. Seller of gasoline in one of the petrol stations located towards the border crossing Medzhitlija claims that the Greeks from the north come only to petrol stations and immediately go back.
– We do not feel any difference from earlier before the Greek crisis. Cars with Greek license plates are coming and buying gasoline and cigarettes – says our interlocutor.
Despite this image, Greeks less and less can be met on the green market in Bitola and boutiques for clothes and shoes.
Fearing that they cannot take vegetables, fruits and food from Macedonia across the border, Bitola shopkeepers say sales have fallen by half. According to them, the Greek crisis also affects our economy in the border region.
– We made our profit from the Greeks, but now they’re gone, they don’t spend a euro. If they pass on the market, I ask them to take beans and rice, but they do not buy, say that the food is confiscated on the border. Therefore I say that their crisis is our crisis as well – says a saleswoman from the green market in Bitola.
