Warning for hard winter: Kosovars buying wood and coal

The warned energy crisis and government recommendations for citizens to save it, as there may be reductions during the winter period, many citizens have begun providing cheaper alternatives to heat during the cold months.

Agron from Pristina, told Radio Kosovo, that last year it was heated with diapers, but now from its price increase, it has been forced to change the form of heating by providing coal and wood.

The price of the sail last year has been from 180,200 euros in tone, while this year has totaled as much as 600 euros. That's why I had to change the way we warm up at home. I've decided to warm myself with coal and wood. I paid the town 200 euros, while the wood meter from 70 to 80 euros”, he said.

Meanwhile, under the Law for Mines and Mines, the license for coal explosion in Kosovo has only the Kosovo Energy Corporation. But, in Pristina, coal for heating is sold in unlegical form.

One of the vendors, who asked to remain anonymous, told Radio Kosovo, that the demand for coal purchases has increased greatly for this year.

This year's demand for coal has increased greatly. If you order these days of coal, by one week eventually two do not have access to coal supplies, as the number of demands is too large”, he said.

By a large increase in wood and coal heating, experts say that air quality will also be reduced and people's health threatened.

The university professor, environmental expert Zecir Veselj, told Radio Kosovo that it is expected that in an energy crisis and price hikes, the poorest are hit and citizens will find other cheaper options. But he stressed that this year air pollution will be higher.

The increased use of these fossil resources, both known as heavy carbon fossils, is also expected to increase polluting and further degradation of the quality of the environmental air, which, even with all measurements from local and international institutions, turns out to be very heavy. The heading will be towards purchase of cheaper resources or energy sources, such as wood and coal, but which have the hardest cost of quality of the environment and most specifically the environmental air that we absorb”.

Meanwhile, until 2018, Kosovo Energy Corporation workers have been given coal as a gift. In that year, the Ministry of Economic Development has made the decision to ban coal giving as a gift to KEK workers.

But recently, Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli has abolished this decision so that workers can be helped overcoming the crisis. In measurements of various organisations, Kosovo is often ranked among the countries with the most polluted air in the world. The biggest air contaminants are considered thermal power plants, which burn coal for the production of electricity.