Nearly four months of missed electricity, will the Serbian company's license be withdrawn?

This company was licensed on 24 June by the Kosovo Energy Regulatory Office (ZRRE), for the provision of the citizens of four Serb-populated municipalities in northern Kosovo, as well as for their destiny.

The electricity “ ” has had 100 days to meet conditions that would enable it to operate on the Kosovo market. It's been 116 days since the launch date.

The ZERE does not provide any clear answers to how it will handle this company, but the European Union's envoy for Kosovo-Serbia dialogue, Miroslav Lajcak, has said there is a danger that “electricity” “ “withdrawals license”.

Lajcak has commented at a meeting with Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, on October 13th in Pristina, while four days later, after meeting with Serbia's president, Aleksandar Vuciq, has said the energy issue requires <x0-> urgent resolution”.

The licensing of “Electricity” has been seen with an agreement between Kosovo and Serbia on energy, which was reached in 2013, but reconciliation for its implementation was made on 21 June.

Elektrosever is owned by Serbia's energy company EPS (Electroprivreda Srbije), but in Kosovo it is founded with Kosovo laws.

Given the Guide's terms, this company, among other things, has had to sign technical agreements with the Kosovo Electrical Energy Distribution Company KEDS, as well as with System Operator, Transmission and Electricity Market COST. Also, he should have delivered Mr. RHRA is an investment plan, maintenance costs, as well as network losses, based on the analysis of existing infrastructure.

A statement by COSTT says that “so far, there has been no progress in implementing” of the Guide points.

From ZERE, meanwhile, say briefly about REL that “will act in full harmony with obligations derived from the Energy Agreements Implementation Guide”.

According to Guide, in case of failure to act on certain conditions after 100 days of issuing the license, sir. The RRE may decide on suspension or withdrawal of the license for Elektrosever, though prior to this decision there should be consultations with the parties, under EU mediation, within a 15-day deadline.

The EU, then, would offer expert opinion if required at least by either side.

REL has also been addressed to the Elektrosever company on this issue, but until the publication of this text, there is no answer.

Ceku: Z RRE should suspend “Electricity license”

Energy issues expert Ethem Ceku, at the same time former Kosovo Energy Minister, says the ZRRE should suspend the “Electricity license”.

But in advance, he adds, all relevant international institutions should be informed that Elektrosever has not met the conditions.

“We should not take action there at that point, but must precede a broad information campaign on costs, on expenditures, at this great time of the world-dominated energy crisis”, Ceku says.

What's the problem with the north current?

The company Elektrosever is meant to make supply and billing the flow spent in municipalities: Northern Mitrovica, Leposaviq, Zvecan and Zubin Potok.

Their residents mostly Serbs have not paid for the flow spent since the war ended in 1999.

The refusal has resulted from civic disobedience, but also the impact of various structures there, operating under Serbia's correction.

By the end of 2017, the current spent in the north has paid citizens of other parts of Kosovo, who have received increased bills. From 2017 onward, due to numerous citizens' complaints, responsibility for the payment has been handed over to the Government of Kosovo.

For only five years (2017-2021), Kosovo institutions have paid over 70m euros for the current spent in municipalities in the north.

By 2017, that part was supplied with electricity from KEDS; from 2017 onward, the supply is made by the Vallach substation, which is owned by COST.
Ceku says the government of Kosovo must find solutions to “political action” of the majority population in the north.

“The lack of energy that the Serb community does in that part is completely political action, not economic and social action... The problem is that that part does not recognise Kosovo's energy sector and does not pay energy”, Ceku says.

Are citizens in the north willing to pay for the spent electricity?

Some North Mitrovica citizens, surveyed by Radio Free Europe, say they are unwilling to pay electricity bills.

“Which way? I don't have money for that. I don't know what to do. I have nothing to do with it, I work nowhere, and I'm reported to the Bureau for Employment”, says a citizen who was identified only as Nebojsa.

Dragan Antovic says the current must be paid, but that there is no money.

I'm retired, retirement is small... I can't pay [the belt] of course, I don't have a big pension, I have nothing, what to do, what to eat”, says Antovic.

Lilana says that the current should be paid and that “does not know if there is any place in the world where there is no price for”.

The fact that no current is paid is only Serbia's goodwill or... Someone's doing a good service and I'm not getting ahold of this”, Lilana says.

In an interview for REL on August 8th, Kosovo Prime Minister Albin Kurti, has said that in the event of the failure of the agreement for “Eleksever-in”, Kosovo's government will not be able to continue paying the current in the autumn.

Klisman Kadiu, political adviser to Kosovo's first deputy prime minister, Besnik Bislimi, confirmed for REL has made it clear that the government has made clear the position that it will no longer cover the cost of electricity consumption costs north of the country”.

COMM STT, too, says there are no means to cover expenses there. /rel/