On April 1st, the opposition considers the citizens' poverty

Energy Regulatory Office ( ZRERE has decided to expensive electricity bills for 14 percent, starting on April 1, 2023.

While the ruling party, Vetevendosje argues with “the cost of electricity supply”, the LDK and AAK's depuates told Online Economy that the expensive current, at a time when Kosovo faces an economic and inflation crisis, will be unaffordable to citizens.

The ZRE has said that the deadline for accepting comments was closed Friday, while they said they have not accepted comments from any side of interest.

New terms take effect on April 1, 2023. The preliminary estimates presented in the Consultative Report indicate that an increase of about 14 percent is necessary. The time for receiving comments has been until March 3, 2023. We haven't received comments from any side of interest”, said ZRE's response to EO.

Sending comments to Democratic League of Kosovo MP Besian Mustafa is unnecessary, as he says they are not being taken into account.

He for the Online Economy has said it is inappropriate to expensive energy at the time of inflation.

We've always witnessed ZRE statements since April 1st, there will be increases in costs or electricity prices by 14 percent. The ZRE's statement that neither one has handed out comments, to tell the truth there is no basis, because last year all parties, or at least the LDK, had submitted comments, but not one of these comments was taken into account. That's why it's been futile to send comments with ZRE, because it doesn't matter”, he says.

This is insignificant at the end of the day; what's important is that the ZRE has declared since April 1st of this year Kosovo citizens will be expensive for energy bills for 14 per cent. At a time when we have a global energy crisis, at a time when we have an inflationary crisis -- that is, price hikes in Kosovo -- at a time when we have no economic development -- at a time when we don't have a major investment capital project in Kosovo. We have no public sector wage increases and no talking about the private sector, which Government has completely forgotten, has ignored at all”, Mustafa said.

Alliance for the Future of Kosovo MP, Pal Lekaj, considers that the expensive electricity will be a “aqat” in the citizens' pocket. He says that at the time Kosovo faces an economic crisis, such expensiveness will be unaffordable for citizens.

I think this is also a huge burden for citizens. If it goes 14 percent, how long has ZRE been declared, the price of electricity, then it is not known how our citizens will cope when we have the enormous cost of basic goods and when we have the expensive oil derivatives, when we have other expenses and when wages, the salary law, which between 11 and 30 euros has additionals for civil servants”.

This government has deceived and deceived citizens every day, so ultimately the price of electricity is an impact on citizen range and will make many citizens miserable, says Lekaj.

While the deputy of the Vetevendosje Parliamentary Group, Life Statovci, has cleared ZRE's request for expensive energy bills. She has said that in this case it should be given into account the calculation of the cost of power supply, which also determines tariffs.

I wouldn't have said that it's the matter of complaints that solve this job, because we're dealing with more calculations. So it's cost calculations in relation to the energy supply that determines what the tariffs will be. So the tariffs reflect the cost, how much the supplier has spent on electricity supply and then that cost has to be reflected in tariffs, here more so it's about calculators that produce fixed results”.

It has mentioned several possibilities that Government can help citizens increase electricity bills.

The past “has been the proposal to be this scale among consumers for whom there is no need for import and consumers for which it needs import because they spend more. These were our proposals in the past year that were made based on”. We are seeing that it is continuing with the same approach, while “.

Now for the growing difference, one of the possibilities will undoubtedly be government subsidies, but here it should be highlighted that this should be the Government's decision and I believe that, basically, the Ministry of Economy, in consultation with the rest of the Government, will see how Statovci will act in this regard.

The Kosovo Energy Regulatory Office had received, last month, an extraordinary demand for increased electricity tariffs, made by the Kosovar Company for Electric Energy Distribution KED.

KEDS has justified the demand for increased electricity tariffs with an increase in the price of imported electricity, as well as with the inability of the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) to produce needed electricity, especially during the winter season.

The right non-reflection risks KEDS' financial position, while at the same time endangers the security of the country's energy supply”, said the earlier request. Energy Regulatory Office Board Chairman Ymer Feyzullahu has confirmed for media that the new tariffs will apply from April 1st 2023 and will be in force until March 31st, 2024.

KEDS's demand has been for 55 per cent increase in tariffs, ZRE has confirmed. But this institution, considered independent by the Government, has decided that “to protect” citizens, by reducing their burden.

The new tariffs will be in effect by 31 March 2024.