MPs seek unlocking power grid from Serbia

Kosovo Assembly MPs today demanded clarification by the Energy Community Secretariat Director why they are not pressuring Serbia to unblock Kosovo for membership in the European Network of Operators of the Energy Transmission System(ENTSO-E).

Parliamentary Commission for Economic Development Chairman Sala Berisha -Shala has today requested information from Energy Community Secretariat Director for Measures to Serbia concerning the problem presented on the energy grid, because, according to her, it is the 400 Interconference Line Project. KW between Kosovo and Albania very important for which the German Bank has invested and it is an obstacle to realising with the problems that Serbia poses.

I suggest that as much as you have knowledge to inform us as MPs today, whether there is any measure that has been taken in relation to Serbia and whether this issue in the Energy Community is being discussed, because it really is a very important project for Kosovo... it is also a very important project for which the German Bank has invested and it is an obstacle and a problem that presents Serbia in this direction to become a project. Therefore, it would be easier for Kosovo to meet the criteria required by the Energy Community, part of which is Kosova”, MP Sala Berisha ré Shala has asked.

Janez Kopac, director of the Energy Community Secretariat, stressed that Kosovo's membership in NTSO-E is continuing to block Serbia, even though the Community Secretariat has made continued efforts to solve the problem.

He during a meeting with members of the parliamentary Commission for Economic Development, said the Kosovo Market System and Transition Operator(KOSTT) is prepared and ready.

We've done everything possible to help start it but it hasn't worked yet. You know what the problem is, since Serbia's transmission system operator is blocking COST to become an ENTSO-E member. At first the reasons were technical, since COST was not properly equipped, but that reason is no longer standing, because it was an ENTSO-E expert who confirmed that COST is prepared and ready and now the problem is formal. The reason Serbia has given for this impasse is that Kosovo authorities have not allowed electricity suppliers in the northern part of Kosovo”, Kopac has said.

He has said that even though Kosovo is on the verge of finalising energy legislation, there is a major problem of failing to functioning the Energy Regulatory Office Board (ZRRE) for energy market regulation, and demanded that MPs urgently choose this Bord.

The amount of secondary legislation was prepared and adopted, but only a very large problem that has emerged is the Energy Regulatory Authority, which is not functioning, there are no members on board and this situation is for several months, so you as parliament should try to overcome this situation of the institution that doesn't function and as quickly as possible, as this causes numerous problems of”, Kopac said.

Commission Chairman Berisha Shala has said the problem and challenge is the lack of the ZERE board, but said board selection is under way by the government and is soon expected to bring the name report to the Parliament and promised that one of the upcoming sessions would be voted these members for the new board.

Kopac before MPs has also spoken of directives and legal frameworks, and the main objective of the Energy Community is according to him, extending EU rules and internal principles for energy in Southeast European countries, the Black Sea region and broadly under a legally binding framework.

The Energy Community is an international organisation that unites the European Union and its neighbours to create an integrated European energy market