Citizens against the expensive current: We're in crisis, it's unbearable.

Following KESCO's request for expensive electricity, the country's citizens object to the possibility of raising the electricity price for the second time this year.

Requesting expensive electricity fees, KESCO has argued with the lack of subsidy pledged by the Kosovo government. While the latter says it is committed not to allowing energy prices to rise.

Citizens Bajram Berisha expressed outrage at KESCO's request, for this he wants protests to be held to counter the expensive electricity.

“The people can't afford, because it's a big crisis in every way, prices are rising in all things. The trees, the diapers, everything, so it's unaffordable. It should be brought to protests”, Berisha says.

Even fellow citizen Ibush Shasivar says citizens cannot afford the price of electricity at this time of crisis.

It's impossible, because I'm retired, so with a pension of 200 euros what do I do, what do I pay first water, electricity, phone, rent? If they value the current, it's a big mistake because pensioners aren't even thinking about it. How can such expensiveness be made, when the economy is zero”, he says.

Likewise, Remzije Krasniqi says the country is in crisis, it would be unbearable to raise tariffs for pensioners as well.

I'm retired this month, I'm retired. The lift is too affordable. These people should think about us as well, who have their salaries... He's talking about everyone not just himself, I'm seeing other citizens being in crisis”, she says.

Another citizen who refused to be identified says that the cost of electricity is unacceptable because there are families living on low income.

“Is it okay compared to the income and state of the population in Kosovo? It's not, it's off any norm, but we have power to change. There are people living at 150 euros, what he does”, he says.

While ECCO spokesman Viktor Buzhala has said of Kosovo that high costs for energy are not being covered through government tariffs and subsidies.

“K The ESCO has applied for extraordinary tariff review because two indicators have not gone as it was in the last review. The first is the government's subsidy at the value of 90m euros, which has not been loaned to us - not a penny - so that by today some 33m euros would have to be separated. The second indicator, however, is the price of import, which has been seen much lower than it really is. We've been going for prices somewhere over 500 euros for megawatts, while during July at international stock exchanges it has reached over 730 euros for megawatt”, he says.

spokesperson Buzhala has also said that he does not know how much the current will cost but that he has admitted that there will be a rise.

Buzhala even says that the country has already entered an energy crisis, which, according to him, will deepen further.

We're in the phase when we've applied for maximum allowed revenues, while we're also in preparation for the tariffs that cover the revenues. The maximum allowed revenues, the requirement is to reach 466m euros, which is 119m euros above previously approved 347m euros, but there was also the government's subsidy plus 90m euros. So the difference is 29m euros actually. How much does the rise in energy rates decline? There is still no percentage, since demand has not been finalised, and we are still under way. I can't speculate on numbers... But, there will be, because the parameters have been met and it's over 5 per cent of the spending on them allowed. And when this is over, surely the parameters and legal conditions for extraordinary consideration of the fee are met... Will there be an energy crisis even if a price hike occurs? The energy crisis is happening today, let alone in winter, it's inevitable. Indicators show this”, he says.

Kosovo's Universal Power Supplier, KESCO, has officially applied to the Energy Regulatory Office on Tuesday for extraordinary review of maximum access, Z announced. The RRE on Tuesday.

ZERE leadman, in a response to Kosovo Press, has said this institution is in the process of reviewing the application, and the public will keep notice of the actions to be taken.

During the day, Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli stressed that the Kosovo government will soon execute the means for power subsidies, in a response to ECCO's application for increased energy tariffs.

She at a media conference has declared that the government is committed not to allowing energy prices to rise.

The Kosovo Energy Regulatory Office (ZRRE) had approved new bills on February 8th 2022 for a single category of consumers, which have entered into force a day later.

Consumers following the 800-kilovate threshold crossing, the consumer gap is estimated at 5.9 cents per kilowatt during low rates and 12.5 cents per kilowatt during high tariffs.