Proposals to increase the price of electricity in Kosovo have led to mobilization and protests. Economic experts expect price increases for other products as well.
The proposal of the Kosovo Electricity Regulatory Office to increase the price of electricity by about 15% has sparked discontent due to warnings that there will be price increases for basket products as well.
Some manufacturers have warned that product prices will increase if the price of electricity increases, but experts say that these increases are often abused in an attempt to increase profits.
“Businesses will try to immediately reflect this increase in the cost of electricity in their final prices, and I suspect that it will be at the same level, and the increase that is being reflected in the market is always disproportionate to the increase in cost, which also contains additional profit margins for businesses,” says Blendi Hasaj.
Currently, for consumers who consume up to 800 kilowatts per hour within a month, the price of electricity during the day is 7.79 cents per kilowatt, while for those who consume more than 800 kilowatts, the part above this is calculated at a price of 14.45 cents. During the night, the tariffs are cheaper.
For this reason, the Regulator is suggested to increase the number of these block tariffs.
"These small consumers, who are good for the economy because they save electricity, should not be burdened with higher tariffs but should see that in case we have larger consumers, which is another signal that they are not so careful and with energy saving, new or higher tariffs should be applied to them, that is, the current block of electricity consumption should be expanded," adds Hasaj.
Meanwhile, citizens on social networks through a group against the increase in the price of electricity have started organizing in opposition to this proposal.
"We have come together and are organizing at all costs to not allow ERO to pass on April 11, even when the official decision is expected, we will not allow this increase in the price of electricity to become a reality under any circumstances, with all the capacities we have," says Besnik Shabiu.
This group has had meetings with the Ombudsman and is asking citizens to send their comments against the increase in energy prices by March 28. They are also warning of protests.
"If there is absolutely no reflection, we are on the verge of preparing for one of the largest protests that has ever taken place in Kosovo on such issues," adds Shabiu.
Kosovo is unable to meet its energy needs, so it imports. The country has the capacity to produce around 800 megawatts of electricity per hour, while its needs, on winter days, reach up to 1,300 megawatts per hour. (A2 Televizion)
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