Opposition rejects new electricity tariff announcement, protests warned

The Alliance for the Future of Kosovo has announced that it is looking into the possibility of organising the protests to contest the expensive warning electricity.

AAK's “chairmanship has estimated that the price hikes at this time are incompatible. While the country's north does not pay at all for energy, it is unfair to raise prices for the rest of the citizens, where households and businesses hit. ”

The Democratic League of Kosovo has also opposed the proposal for electricity growth.

Besian Mustafa of the LDK has said that lack of professionalism, responsibility and will for government work would burden the citizen's wallet, increasing the price of electricity bill by 42 percent.

According to him, the government has been announced since last spring for increasing energy prices, as well as steps to be taken.

The government chose the populism of lynching in time of local elections to win any vote. The government's inability to manage power supplies has cost Kosovo's citizen 20m euros earmarked for COST, 20m euros for energy import, and 75m euros for subvention of energy”, Mustafa said at a news conference.

Mustafa has also cited rejection of the US gas pipeline project.

The government has refused a $200m grant from the US MCC, for the gas plant that would serve for higher electricity production and lower prices on the local market”, Mustafa said.

In addition, he has said that costing energy damages local production as well.

In addition to the AAK's LDK, the Democratic Party of Kosovo has also come against this proposal.

PDK chairmanship member Blerand Stavileci said PDK warnings to the government to take adequate steps to resolve problems in terms of electricity have become a reality.

Our numerous warnings to the Government to take steps to solve problems in time, so that there will be a safe supply of energy, and there will be no price hikes today, and the proposed measures do not account for the economic situation of Kosovo families”, Stavileci has said.

According to him, the proposal to raise tariffs after a serious economic period as a result of pandemic is one of the worst shocks being done to Kosovo citizens.

This growth will burden the welfare of social citizens at a time when even all prices of primary consumer products will continue with even greater effects. For the worse, this increase can address the need for the cost of the system for periods ahead of us. Today our transmission network, COST, as the main pillar of supply security, is ahead of financial collapse”, Stavileci said.

Stavileci said that a little over a decade of state, the government is installing inequality and discrimination and is consciously turning the country into subsidies to tariffs and reductions. He has stressed that it is completely unjust and deeply discriminating that 30% of consumers carry the cost of spending 70% of other consumers.

Reactions After Government Report

The Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo has called the adoption of the ZERE proposal by the Government, for price increases for consumers who spend over 600 kWh of energy.

According to BSPK, this proposal has had to be devoted time and professional analysis before approval.

In addition, it is said that this could lead to the deterioration and deterioration of the citizens' economic and social situation.

“The Union of Independent Trade Unions of Kosovo addresses its social partner government that it has made urgent action with the adoption of such a proposal, of which time has been needed and professional analysis is subject before it is approved.

We believe that the Government is aware that today's adoption will lead to the deterioration and further deterioration of the citizen's economic and social situation”, the BSPK's response said.

While the head of PSD, Dardan Moliqaj, has said that warning of increased electricity prices is a warning for protests.

According to Molyqaj, the price of electricity in Kosovo is cheaper because “we pay the rest with our health”.