A number of citizens protested in Pristina against the increase in electricity prices on Friday, a few hours after the energy regulator approved the requests of energy operators to increase the price of electricity.
While the board of the Energy Regulatory Office of Kosovo (ERO) did not indicate at Friday's meeting by how much the price of electricity will increase, Radio Free Europe learns from internal sources that the increase will be up to 16 percent.
One of the protest organizers from the group "Not a Cent More" said that the ERO board has ignored citizens' demands and warned of the continuation of the protests.
"Our joint call today fell on deaf ears to ERO officials: Not a cent more. Today, arbitrarily, illegitimately and unilaterally, the regulator's board made a decision without asking or considering the comments of citizens. They do not represent the people," he said.
The protest began at noon in Zahir Pajaziti Square in the city center and continued to the energy regulator's office in the Pejton neighborhood, where the protesters dispersed peacefully.
The organizers warned that they will file a lawsuit against ERO's decision on April 14 at the Basic Court in Pristina.
This is the second protest against electricity price hikes in the country, after the one on April 5.
The System, Transmission and Market Operator [KOSTT], the Kosovo Electricity Distribution Company [KEDS] and the Kosovo Electricity Supply Company [KESCO] requested an increase in electricity tariffs due to the import of electricity.
The ERO board approved their requests at a meeting on Friday, and said it would announce the percentage of the electricity price increase in the coming days. Earlier, ERO announced that the new tariffs would come into effect on May 1.
The energy regulator last month proposed increasing the price of electricity in the country by about 15 percent, arguing that the increase in tariffs this year is necessary due to the decrease in energy production, increased consumption and heavy dependence on high-priced imports.
While the Presidency opposed the increase in electricity prices, the incumbent Government called on ERO not to increase the price of electricity for consumers who consume less than 800 kilowatts per month.
The current electricity price for consumers who consume up to 800 kilowatts within a month is 7.79 cents per kilowatt, while for those who consume more than 800 kilowatts, the portion above this is calculated at a price of 14.45 cents.
From 10:00 PM to 7:00 AM, the price per kilowatt is 3.34 cents for those who spend up to 800 kilowatts and 6.81 cents for those who spend more.
ZRRE-ja bën shqyrtimin dhe caktimin e përvitshëm të tarifave të rrymës, të cilat shpallen çdo vit më 1 prill dhe vlejnë deri më 31 mars të vitit pasues.
Kosova nuk mund ta sigurojë energjinë e nevojshme për mbi 1.6 milion banorët e saj vetëm me prodhimin nga Korporata Energjetike e Kosovës (KEK).
Një nga arsyet është vjetërsia me dekada e termocentraleve "Kosova A" dhe "Kosova B". Prodhim ka edhe përmes burimeve të ripërtërishme, por në sasi më të vogla.
Përfaqësuesit e bizneseve kanë thënë më herët për Radion Evropa e Lirë se rritja eventuale e çmimit të rrymës do të rriste kostot operative të bizneseve. Kjo më pas do të detyronte bizneset që të rrisnin çmimin e produkteve dhe shërbimeve të tyre, duke i bëra ato më pak konkurruese në treg.
Kosova, viteve të fundit, është përballur me rritje të vazhdueshme të çmimeve të produkteve dhe shërbimeve.
Shtrenjtimi ka nisur në kohën e pandemisë COVID-19 në vitin 2020 dhe ka marrë hov pasi Rusia ka nisur pushtimin e Ukrainës, më 2022.
Vitin e kaluar, ZRRE-ja e uli çmimin për konsumatorët komercialë dhe industrialë për 3 për qind.
Por, një vit më herët, më 2023, tarifat u rritën për 15 për qind për të gjitha kategoritë e konsumatorëve./ REL (A2 Televizion)
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MUND TE LEXONI GJITHASHTU
