Osman for gas operation: Kosovo can have no other way out except co-operation with the US

“Why Kosovo has not yet responded to the plan for the Balkan Gas pipeline. Why is there a rejection by Kosovo for this initiative, which is also supported by America?

While President Osmani has said that the refusal is and that the issue is simply being considered by relevant institutions, however, says that whether it belongs to geostrategic aspect, Kosovo has no choice but to co-operate with the United States.

I can't say there's a rejection. It's just that there's a study of relevant experts and ministries, which are in daily discussion with the U.S. state, so it's all cleared up. But never until now I have heard any rejection by the Kosovo government. However, there is time for answers. Because the timelines for answers are clear from the MCC in this case. I have personally spoken to the MCC and also to representatives of the American state, where personally as president I have given my support from geostrategic and geopolitical terms, without entering into the implementation details, because they make the ministries relevant rather than the president of the country. So they have to deal with the issue of building a pipe on the price issue, on the matter of various sums, how exactly it will be bought, when expected to come, what will be the loans that will get, etc. But in the political sense, I think this is an extremely important geostrategic decision for Kosovo and we always have to understand that energy is not only energy, it's also geostrategic. Therefore, I think that there can be no other way for Kosovo but co-operation with the US. That's my opinion as president of the Republic. But then I understand that the ministries of lower levels may have many more questions about implementation and other issues. As a person who really fights that Kosovo achieves these goals of green energy, of course I understand that gas is not 100 percent pure. But compared to coal, used today in Kosovo, it is much cleaner and is also transitional phase”, President Osmani has said.

Asked whether you support the project for the gas pipeline, Osmani has said that “I think that geostrategically this is the decision Kosovo must make. But I don't pretend to be an expert on energy issues, so I'm expecting the respective ministries' assessment of other implementation issues, because sometimes it's not just political decision, we need to know how that decision is implemented and to seek even higher, financial support from our partners, including the United States, so that such implementations are successful. But, from the geostrategic point of view, Kosovo doesn't have to look elsewhere. I have to keep my eye on the United States”.

Until yesterday, Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli has said they can decide on the pipeline without knowing the total cost.

There are, in particular, several issues that require clarification, such as finances, and we know what the total cost would be, who would finance, who would build the thermal power plant, which was said to be built with public-private partnerships. We would also have to take loans in large amounts to complete the project, which would pay consumers. Decisions will not be taken without knowing what it will cost, and without knowing what the energy consumer's price will pay for”, Minister Rizvanolli said yesterday.