Ombudsman warns measures for non-involved north in tariff bloc

Ombudsman Naim Celaj says they are analyzing the situation, in case human rights and freedoms are being violated at the cost of electricity prices. He also comments on the failure to include four northern municipalities in the bloc-tarifes warned by institutions in the country.

“We are awaiting the decision under future developments, but the idea of distinguishing the prices between the territories of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo in certain areas remains unacceptable to us, just as the case of non-paying electricity in Kosovo's four northern municipalities has been unacceptable and billing the cost of this energy of citizens of the rest of Kosovo's territory. If such a decision remains to us eventually will be unacceptable and we will take measures, we will see what is the form of working to resolve this matter”, he declares.

If in early February, the Energy Regulatory Office decides on one such thing, Celaj

If that happens, then we have the means and institutional mechanisms to attack and reject such an action, in the interest of a very large number of citizens, for the reason that we consider that citizens of the Republic of Kosovo indiscriminately should be treated equal to”, he adds to Kosovas.

The ombudsman says institutions in the country should take into account the respect of citizens' equality before the law.

The Energy Regulatory Office has declared that the four northern municipalities are not included in the tariff change report, because a judicial process is under way.

But, Kyle claims it has no connections and has attempted to create confusion.

There's no connection to that decision we're in today. In fact, the court ruling with which the request was approved, the ombudsman's Institution of the People's Office, has to do with a decision by the ZRE that has freed the four northern municipalities from payment, and its spending is illegally billed on the rest of consumers. That for us, it has presented illegal action, contrary to the Constitution and the principles in which our state functions. We've demanded that the share of bills illegally charged to our citizens be restored from ZRE and other bodies responsible for this. But that decision has nothing to do with the current situation, it has nothing to do with costing or releasing electricity. I don't understand why it's been attempted or tried to create such a distraction”, says Celay.

The first-instance court has considered ZRE's decision to bill electricity for the four northern municipalities for Kosovo citizens illegal. This process is in the second instance, and the decision is expected for that.

The Energy Regulatory Office has postponed public discussion about setting up a fee block by January 31st, 2022, at 1600.