After months in which fuel only got more expensive, the news drivers want to hear has finally arrived: fuel prices fall from Monday. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski announced that petrol could drop by around four denars per litre, and diesel by as much as seven denars.

The official decision is made by the Energy Regulatory Commission, which on Monday will calculate the new prices according to movements on the world markets. The drop, according to the prime minister, comes as a result of the stabilisation of global oil markets - among other things following the announcements of negotiations between the US and Iran, which affect the flow of energy supplies.

Mickoski expects gradual stabilisation despite the dollar's fluctuations, projecting an average oil price between 70 and 80 dollars a barrel by the end of the year. It sounds good on paper - but drivers have already learned that promises of cheaper fuel last exactly until the next "upward correction."

The question that remains is how long this drop will last. Fuel prices here climb fast and fall slowly and briefly - a pattern anyone who fills a tank knows well. Good news for Monday, but it's wise not to build a whole year's budget on it.