Parliament approved emergency measures in electricity supply

The Kosovo Assembly has approved the government's decision on emergency measures to supply electricity, with 61 votes per, none against and no abstention. Opposition parties have not backed him, saying such a decision does not help steady energy supply.

Emergency measures, among other things, include: Support measures for citizens with the goal of securing heating during the winter; Stopting the use of electricity for extracting cryptovalutes; Supporting Transmission and Market System Operator (KOSTT) to take necessary action in the function of maintaining the safety of the electromagnetic system; and Mass in saving electricity consumption from all institutions.

Economy Minister Artane Rizvanolli has said that there is extraordinary price increases in the European market, which, according to her, will negatively affect Kosovo in the coming months.

“Taking into account the energy situation in the country and with the aim of overcoming this situation, the government proposes to announce emergency measures for limiting the power supply to valuable energy supplies at a maximum length of up to 60 days from the decision's entry into force. This is due to the fact that we have a tremendous increase in prices in the European market which will negatively affect the following months as well as in Kosovo to the extent that we are forced to import electricity, for more than a few European states have warned the ban on the export of fossil countries, and during the months that are now particularly during the winter months, then it is expected that some states will also ban exports to electricity”, she said.

It has proposed that the measures start as soon as possible.

The “in order to start measures as early as possible in some directions including promoting energy savings, and preventing certain activities that spend too much energy, and to take other potential measures to help COST to take the necessary action in the operation of saving energy system, but also for other potential measures, according to the need to be presented, and to propose the emergency measures to be approved by the Quant”, it added.

She has said that if the same trend continues in Europe, there will be a need to continue the measures in a row for 30 days.

But from the Democratic Party of Kosovo, they have criticised the government for not showing what the results were from earlier emergency measures.

MP Ferat Shala has said the government would have to hand over a report on the issue.

We can support this initiative today because of the global situation, but we cannot support it without seeing the government's decision why it still has 90 million and has not gone to the sector. Did the prime minister and government cheat us when he pledged his means or is cheating us today, one is certain if they are not both frauds. We should have a report on why the energy sector now eight months doesn't take the pledge tools”, he said.

While Valentina Bulnjak from the Democratic League of Kosovo has said the government must deal with the safe energy supply on the contrary, there will again be severe reductions.

The government's “This decision does not help them in safe and sustainable energy supply, it is not emergency or concrete, it is completely informational general aspects that are common in a normal serious state for every season. No recommendation measure in this government decision does not speak of sharing financial means subsidies to import insurance, alternative energy investments, but are dry statements without impact on the field... This government decision will unfortunately again risk failure for safe power supply, so it must be rejected, she said.

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo MP, Pal Lekaj has criticised the government, saying he is not approaching problems with any strategy and at the right time.

And what I can say is reasonable, but we've been warning you last year that we're going to be in a deep energy crisis since July last year and you're the first decision and the first seriousness you've shown in three months, delayed and into energy crisis. This government is used to choosing ad-hoc problems without strategies and without timely decision-making”, Lekaj said.

While Vetevendosje Movement MP chief Mimoza Kusari-Lila has said the government's decision envisions necessary measures and must be supported.

Not only must the pro be supported are necessary to create mechanisms for dealing with the shortages facing countries throughout Europe and beyond... Along with the decision on emergency energy empowerment measures, mechanisms for citizens' protection are created with a report of the crisis, which is waiting during the 911 winter season, it has said.

The economy ministry says they are monitoring the electromagnetic situation in Kosovo and the interventions of the Kosovo Electronic Corporation in preparing thermal power plants for the winter season.

Also, it has been announced that KEK's management, together with maintenance teams, is making it the maximum for power blocks to generate enough electricity to cover local demand. KEK thermal power plants are in operation over 80% of the time over a year, which, according to the government, is above the world average of coal-fired thermal power plants.