Kosovo in dispute with Serbia over ownership of Transmission

The Secretariat of Energy Community (SEC), based in Vienna, has stalled further the verdict about the dispute between Kosovo and Serbia over the lines of Trasnmission. The absence of the verdict is costing Kosovo 15 million euro annually because Serbia has since 2006 claimed to own the transmission assets of Kosovo.

Kosovo has taken up legal means to solve the dispute in accordance with the Treaty of energy since the security of the energy system is one of the most important provisions in the Energy Community Treaty. The Secretariat, however, has started the procedure regarding the dispute only on September 17th, 2010, with the charge that Serbia has violated the provisions of Energy Community Treaty for SEE (South-East Europe), a member of which is Kosovo. The preliminary finding of the Secretariat is that the Transmission Operator of Serbia (EMS) has violated the Energy Treaty due to its failure to fulfill the obligations that emanate from it.

While explaining the procedures that need to be followed in a case like this, the legal consultant of the SEC has said that the Secretariat cannot make decisions but only recommend the case to the Council of Ministers for a verdict after the completion of the primary procedure. The forwarding of the case to the Council of Ministers for a verdict, according to him, is the last step in this procedure which was formally initiated by an “Open Letter.”
Kosovo is represented by the Ministry of Energy and Mines which has signed the Treaty that founded the Energy Community for South-East Europe.

Kosovar citizens and businesses still face electric energy cuts which disturb the normal work activity. The Government of Kosovo has responded to this problem by initiating the project for the construction of thermo power plant Kosova C. The Government has also initiated the process for the privatization of Distribution and Supply of Electric Energy which has entered the pre-qualification phase.

Koha Ditore