Political impasse and rising electricity prices hit local producers, lawsuit against ERO announced

The 16 percent increase in electricity prices by the Energy Regulatory Office (ERO) will harm businesses, with particular emphasis on local producers, says Skënder Krasniqi, president of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). Krasniqi underlines that this decision to increase the cost of electricity will lead to an increase in product prices.

Krasniqi emphasizes that ERO has not taken into account the request of the EOTC for the allocation of tariffs for local producers, as is the case in other countries. Meanwhile, he mentioned the possibility that EOTC and businesses could take legal steps to sue ERO, demanding that the Parliament take measures against the decision of the ERO board, which, according to him, has brought negative effects for businesses and citizens.

He also spoke about the blockade created by the failure to constitute the Assembly. According to him, the failure to constitute the Assembly has a negative impact on economic development.

"Any delay in the creation of institutions negatively affects both local and foreign businesses, because it creates uncertainty. We hope that the Assembly will soon form the government, convene in Parliament and have the opportunity to communicate and have better cooperation... We actually have a government in resignation, with which we can communicate, but the misfortune has been that even when the government was in full mandate, we have not been able to have normal and good communication with most ministries, especially with the prime minister, because he has delegated everything and as the Ministry of ICT we have not been able to arrange a meeting for four years to express our concerns. So we are hoping that with the new Parliament and the new Government this communication will increase and we will be able to address the challenges that businesses have, but also the opportunities that businesses have to increase cooperation and employment, as well as the well-being of citizens", says Krasniqi, in an interview for KosovaPress.

On the other hand, he says that the decision to increase the price of electricity will cause harm to businesses and citizens. Meanwhile, he emphasizes that ERO has ignored the latter's requests not to make this decision.

"As the ICT Department, we have also held a conference and have sent a request to the Prime Minister and the ERO not to increase the price of electricity, at least to postpone the increase in energy prices for a year, because it will have negative effects, especially on producers, but in general on other businesses, because it will affect the increase in prices in general. It has not been taken into account, and businesses are trying not to increase prices, but the difficulties must be great not to increase them. There will also be impacts on citizens, who will have increased expenses. Unfortunately, this will harm them a lot, especially local producers, because we have requested that tariffs be divided for local producers, for bakeries, so that they do not affect the increase in prices, as they are divided in other countries, that the price should not be the same for bakeries, markets and local producers, which affect the development of the country. But such a thing has not happened, ERO has ignored the requests of businesses and citizens, and we will face this challenge again "which will not be easy for businesses and citizens either," says Krasniqi.

He also said that they are considering the possibility of suing ERO as businesses and also requesting that the Assembly, after its constitution, take measures against ERO.

"We are looking at the possibilities of suing ERO as businesses and requesting that the Assembly, upon its constitution, take measures against ERO, because these negative effects are the result of the ERO board's decision," Krasniqi declares.

The Energy Regulatory Office of Kosovo announced on April 11 that the increase in tariffs for all categories of consumers based on the Maximum Allowed Revenues is 16.1 percent. From May, Kosovo citizens will pay 16. 1 percent more for electricity. This was stated by the Chairman of the Board of ERO, Ymer Fejzullahu.

The increase in the price of electricity has caused numerous reactions from businesses, political entities and citizens, and there were even several protests in Pristina. /kp/Telegrafi/