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Prishtina, July 12. 2005 – According to the Minister of Energy and Mining, Ethem Ceku, Kosovo can become a country that exports energy, but to achieve this, Kosovo should establish an independent transmitting operator of electrical energy within a year.
The experts and the representatives of local institutions consider that Kosovo can have success in the energy market in the future if investments and an appropriate legal infrastructure had been implemented.
Kosovo has many advantages in the energy sector and this can move the economic processes forward. Despite the defects, the main advantages are in the big sources of lignite and big demands for it in the region and wider.
Experts say that Kosovo has 11,55 billion tons of lignite. According to Minister Ceku, given this fact and based on the Treaty on the establishment of the community of energy in the region, Kosovo will soon start developing this sector.
“The first step is the establishment of an independent transmission operator of energy, planned for the end of this year,” said Ceku.
The experts say that the revitalization of power plants is necessary in the mid-term plan, while the long-term plan building new power plants through private investments or through concessions is necessary. The representatives of the local institutions supported this point of view.
“We should start with the projects on building new power plants through private investments or concessions,” said Kosovo President Ibrahim Rugova. “The energy will fulfill our needs and can be exported to the European market.”
The energy strategy of Kosovo aims at reaching three main goals: social welfare, economic growth and environmental protection. The short-term period is until 2008, while the long-term period is ten years, when developments in the energy sector are expected.
Yet, there are many challenges such as the lack of financial means, the non-implementation of laws and the need for training of professional staff.
ECIKS