Luka warns restructuring at Telekom: We'll also cut the workers' salaries.

He in an interview for Online Economy has said that through this restructuring, the reduction of spending in all forms is envisioned by re-negotiating workers' degrees and lowering salaries for the workers of this company.

The restructuring in Telekom is going to take place now, we're talking about the next few days because the European Bank for Construction and Development has undergone, tendered the expertise for restructuring, so the external expert will come up to do a research, a Telekom analysis, and then we'll come up with precise recommendations for restructuring and there may be restructuring from human sources to debts, legal offices and everything else, general restructuring of Telecom. This envisions reducing spending in all forms, whether it's more of the workers' degrees because we know there's a lot of workers in Telekom, but the problem is there's a lot of high-ranking workers, there are many managers, supervisors, so all of these have to be restructured for the sake of Telekom, and that's going to play a role on the overall salary list that Telekom”

But even for Luca, even if Telekom manages to ensure its existence in no way can become productive as it could be after privatisation.

I believe that too soon Telekom will be turned on and there will be a situation where there will be a positive balance of profit. We know that Telekom is overemployed, we know that Telekom has potential for development and that our goal is privatisation as the final plan of Telekom and that we need to focus on. The telecom, even if it manages to ensure its existence in any form, cannot become productive and efficient as a private sector managed telecom. The Kosovo government will remain stockary by 25 to 49 per cent and the value of those shares”, he said.

And speaking of the debt owed to Telekom to '%a pays to Z-Mobile Company, Luka said they are negotiating to find a form to pay off this debt which is mandatory.

“We agreed that by June 15th we make a payment plan because this is a debt that Arbitrazgi has imposed, it is a decision that cannot be changed because it is Arbitrazhi's decision, and as such it is due to be paid, regardless of how it has come to this debt. In this case we are losers like Telekom and therefore as shareholder and this debt must be paid. One of the forms is where the Government of Kosovo can offer any state guarantees so that Telekom can provide access to different loans to pay off the debt or look at any other form that we're considering or with the case that this amount of 25. 9m euros after having any interference for the” contract,

Luka in this interview has also spoken about the “New Kosovo thermal power plant, which, according to projections, is expected to begin at the end of this year.

The U.S. Optic, U.S. State Agency that does American investment financing abroad, has taken over to be the leader of this financial package consortium, has postponed the board meeting in which Pako Financia is expected to be approved for September. I believe in June we will understand what the thermal power plant will cost, and in September we will understand the financial package. And with the conclusion of these two critical points, we know exactly what the thermal power plant will cost and what the impact will be on the fees for citizens. In October, the package must go to the Kosovo Parliament for approval, if everything goes right then construction can start immediately. We have given green light to the Countur Global Company to start cleaning up the terrain, mending the terrain. They could begin in June”, Luka said.

Minister Luka speaking of the commitment of independent engineers to the Termocentral plant project until he has said that budgetary allocation is 4m euros for 6 years for these engineers who will provide professional services that for the Government of Kosovo represent the interests of overseeing the construction of the “New Kosovo plant.

He said these engineers will be foreign experts who are tasked with monitoring because, as he said, Kosovo does not have sufficient capacities guarantee investment is taking place in accordance with the agreement.

“4m euros is the budget sharing for independent engineers. There is a misunderstanding, these are not advisors and are not advisory services, these are professional services that for the Government of Kosovo represent interests for monitoring the construction of the “New Kosova” and these include from now, in the negotiation phase until the completion of the thermal power plant. So it's a budget of about 4m euros for 6 years because it takes construction time, functionality and test of the thermal power plant. This engineer will be independent, an external expert is tasked with making oversight on behalf of the Government of Kosovo. We don't have our local capacities enough to ensure that investment is happening the way we agreed with the” agreement, Luka told EO.

Recent bids for the construction of the “New Kosovo thermal power plant have been accepted early in February. Two companies submitted offers: Mitsubishi Hitaki from Japan and General Electric from the United States. A few days ago, the preferred bidder is General Electric, American company.