The Economy Ministry claims that between 10 and 20 May, checks were carried out across every supermarket chain - and that fruit and vegetable prices are already coming down. Minister Besar Durmishi sketches the picture: 30 teams in the field, margin inspections, the possibility of a VAT cut if mark-ups are confirmed.

Uf. Sounds a lot like "we've got 30 experts with microscopes" - except those microscopes also need to look at the supermarkets that opened with party connections 5 years ago. Reality? According to the current minister, April inflation hit 5.7 percent, with a 8 percent rise in food prices. And Durmishi isn't laying the burden on the retailers. He's laying it on the "previous government" and the "war in Iran". "Without the war in the Middle East, inflation would be 2 percent," he claims.

Maybe. But the war in Iran doesn't put cabbage and lettuce on the shelves of Skopje's "Vero". Those come from the Macedonian and regional market. When the minister claims this is "imports - not margins", what's the point of 30 teams in the field? And if the conclusion comes back that there are inflated margins - who actually gets fined? Has any retail chain ever been fined for shady pricing practices in the past 30 years in Macedonia? Nobody remembers one.

By 20 May, the government will receive the final reports from the State Market Inspectorate. Then - maybe - a VAT cut on food. Maybe - maybe - fines for the supermarkets. Maybe - and this is what every Balkan shopper knows - everything stays the same. And by next week we'll be hearing the same statements again and seeing the same shopping basket cost 8 percent more.