COMM STT: 33m euros are earmarked to be spent on the current north in 2022

So has the chairman of the COST Board, Jeton Mehmeti, announced today's report to the Economic Commission, where he stressed that only for 2021 have been allocated from COSTS 17.8m euros for covering energy losses in that part.

These costs, according to Mehmet, have been increased due to increased consumption and priceling of electricity.

It's the key step we've entered, in the tenth month and the eleventh month. In the tenth month, the average price has been 171 euros per hour megawatt, and the value has reached 5m 827 euros in just one month. While, in the 11th month to 16.11.2021, the average price of an hour megavati is 193 euros, which means the price for only two weeks has gone by 3m and 295 euros. So, total so far, 17m euros of 806 thousand euros have been paid. The total cost from December to November 16th total costs for the north is 27m and 608 thousand euros, including the divided part of the government, separated 10m euros, while the cost shared by the board's own budget with the decision is 17m of 806 euros”, Mehmeti said.

The chairman of the COST Board has said that since 16 November, payments for the current spent in the four northern municipalities have been cut.

In view of this situation that we are currently in, we have wanted to respect the six-month deadline and have paid for six months. Since November 16th we have cut payments, we have no longer shared means and we have started with deviations, which do not stand and damage much the COST- ENTSO-E. But that doesn't mean we don't have to pay again, because these deviations in I bring on NTSO bills and we're bound by law, by agreement, and by license that we cover the deviations... If we continue to cover December alone, we will complete 2021 with a loss to COST of 18m euros”, he stressed.

Mehmeti has sought an alternative budgetary solution to the payment issue, saying 33m euros are earmarked for the amount of electricity spending in the north for 2022.

The only alternative right now consists of dividing a budget line for 2022. I don't know when the company's issue can be solved “Electric “, but we've made some calculations that say for 2022 on the price that we now have about 33 million and 982 thousand euros. If this issue is resolved in January, I hope it will be resolved and Kosovo will not pay and there will be no kind of financial commitment. The only alternative is to divide tools at least for the first half or the first quarter 2022, because COST can't afford it anymore, because on January 1st we can't take on this responsibility”, he said.

In this report, there was no shortage of clashes between the position and opposition to pay the electricity to the north.

MP Mimoza Kusari-Lila responding to the chairman of this Commission, Ferat Shala, for not resolving this issue within the six months promised on the basis of recommendations issued by the Parliament in May of this year, said it is probably a matter of weeks when the government will make the solution for the north.

This government for nine months is being taken intensively, and we are also waiting on it, perhaps a matter of weeks to solve the situation in which a citizen with residence in Zvecan, Leposaviq, Zubin Potok, northern Mitrovica gets bills and pays the same as any citizen in any other part of Kosovo. But you, to burden the conversation up to the circumstances that we go beyond making things, we are abstracting responsibility”, she stressed.

The separation of the vehicles from the draft budget for 2022 for the electricity payment in the north, MP Armend Muja has said it is impossible, as he said it is not “caramele”.

What MP Shala is telling a major policy is actually not pre-precedented in the law and the government cannot accommodate means. We can't act outside the law like governments in the past, we can't forgive someone, that is provided with the law on budgetary division. I'm the chairman of the Board Commission, but I can't break the law. We can't accommodate, it's not candy, but it's a budgetary sharing process”, he said.

Commission Chairman Ferat Shala has insisted that the means for the north be separated from the 2022 budget, not COST. It even offers support if there are any government proposals for the separation of resources from the budget for the north.

I agree, and I'm about to introduce this bill by law, why did you bring the current bill to cover? Confirming. The law has come and you haven't seen a cent to cover the expenses you have promised with recommendations”, Shala said.

AAK MP Pal Lekaj stressed that the sharing of 6.7m euros in addition to those 11 million on Parliament's authorisation is disturbing.

From what we have information you've even paid for an additional 6.7 million, which is you're going to pay 17.7m euros. This is something that made us worry about the actions that are being taken and paid for those who are irresponsible in northern Kosovo, and this is being done directly by COST, which has not been the practice of earlier”, Lekaj said.

Commission Chairman Ferat Shala, commenting on the high sums for covering losses in the north, said the Government has had to implement the Parliament's recommendations for finding a solution for six months.