Kosovars owe 45m euros to water pipeline

KRU chief Pristina“Sokol Xhafa said pandemic has been a major challenge for achieving the company's goals.

However, he stressed that they have managed to supply all citizens with water.

“Viti 2019 has been followed by droughts, but the disaster is that 2020 struck us with two serious challenges for our company. The biggest challenge we saw during 2019 and conveyed during 2020 was the issue of drought and general lack of rainfall on our territory. This results in the fall of the level on both of our lakes, and from March the pandemic hit the entire globe and Kosovo, which is continuing and will continue for a while further”.

The participation of water resources management has been something that, despite the lack of rainfall, we have good management practices, but part of the pandemic has been the biggest challenge in many achievements or the very continuation of the company. But fortunately so far we have succeeded. The good news is that not only we as companies but also all regional water pipeline companies have managed to supply citizens with water, and this has provided a security that during the time of the pandemic, they don't feel this water shortage”.

“We are on tendering projects with the largest project in the polluted water sector for the plant to be made for Pristina, Fushe-Kosovo, Obilic and Gracanica, which is provided by the Kosovo government through the French government by a 66m-euro fund and 20m euros local funds that are 86m euros in total. The investment part will begin in the following year and we are now in tender phase for consultants”.

Due to the lack of rainfall, Xhafa stressed that both lakes, the Batlava and Badovci, have had relatively low water levels.

Among other things, he argued that the facility on Shkaby provides adequate water security. But according to him, even if Kosovo is in difficult situations the other option is for Badovci Lake to be supplied by Weiman.

Both of the conulating lakes throughout the year have had relatively low levels and the main cause has been a lack of rainfall. Of course, there's too much household consumption. Currently, the level of the lake at Badovc marks -11.5m from the crossing quota, while Batlava is -5. 86 meters from this quota. It's really low but it's starting to rain and we're hoping the situation will soon improve”.

“We have the Shubabaj plant that provides enough security for water insurance even if we find ourselves in difficult situations again we have alternative situations that we have the possibility of getting water from Lake Weiman, while the part of Lake Batlava is a lake that has large ponds and offers a stability of water supply. This ensures residents that there will be no water reductions during the year 2021 unless something extraordinary happens to managing emergency situations”.

Xhafa said they have started with the final cases by sending over 250 subjects, because part of the loans have not reflected and the debt amount has reached 45m euros.

He said that during this year all citizens who have been in debt have been spared the cuts, enabling debt reprogramming, the EO reports.

We as companies have not had experience in completion has been a management perhaps not good before. Immediately after taking over the new management at the company, we have analysed all the final cases taking steps that the pandemic has hit family economies and businesses we've been saving a lot of benefits for them by providing access to debt reprogram by 30% for households and 50% in businesses. We've started our final cases and sent over 250 subjects and we'll continue with 250 more, and despite having contacted some of the debts that are heavily indebted have not reflected”.

We're going to send those who haven't reflected to the owner because the debt is 45m euros in accumulated debt. And during this year, we've saved them from cracks. As soon as the pandemic is over, we'll be forced to do something like that, why is it the last measure we take in cases where there's no payment reflection, then it's forcing us to run off, and as soon as it goes off there's extra taxes added to everyone in terms of debt. So they reprogram your debts and avoid completion procedures”.

He also spoke about part of the projects, adding that key projects involving pipeline systems have generally been implemented.

Xhafa said that for 2021 they will invest 1.4m euros. According to him, investments during the next year will be more focused on the share of contaminated water collectors.

We as a company via our own budget each year invest 1.4m euros in total investments. We also make the return of the loan to the German Bank, which we have received in the value of 20m euros, and now we have paid over 70%. That means we pay 2.9m euros a year. But if we take the loan as a term this amounts to over 4m euros in annual capital investments. As far as part of the projects in general are concerned, we have implemented key projects involving pipeline systems. Of course, some of them have been postponed because of government recommendations, due to the pandemic, with the aim of maintaining the company's own economic stability when it is known that the investments have dropped dramatically due to pandemic this year. This has made us a little reserved for the share of capital investments, but we have not been banned, and we are continuing with investment projects”.

For 2021 we have 1.42m euros in private investment. We'll pay the rest of the loan. Investments in the following year will be more focused on the share of contaminated water collectors. There we have managed to provide a donation from KFV through the German government and the European Union worth 1.95m euros and will become the part of feasibility for the Pristina part, Fushe Kosovo and the Gracanica Obilic for polluted water collectors, and will become master plan for the eight municipalities that we serve”.