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24 11 2011 Life in Kosovo broadcast a debate on the privatisation of the electricity distribution network of the Kosovo Energy Corporation, KEK.
What are the terms of this privatisation? What assets of KEK, formerly ElektroKosova, are being sold to private companies and at what price? Which companies are interested in this? How will the private company solve the problem of the lack of billing of 40% of the energy generated? What does the American Ombudsman have to say on Kosovo’s complaints that this privatisation process is not transparent? How will our government make sure that the billing problems which continue to take place in Albania following its privatisation of distribution, will not take place in Kosovo as well? Will the Kosovo taxpayer continue to subsidise the electricity theft even after privatisation?
To discuss these issues in the privatisation, Jeta Xharra has invited:
Fllanza Hoxha - from KEK’s distribution privatisation project;
Nezir Sinani - from the civil society;
Izet Mustafa - from the Independent Energy Union of Kosovo, SPEK;
Avni Alidemaj - head of the distribution division, KEK.
The debate began with Mrs. Hoxha, who initially spoke relating the price evaluation of the assets that will be privatized.
She said “all assets have been evaluated and at the same time the document for assets transfer is already prepared.
“We don’t define the privatisation price, therefore I cannot say any figure because the market will determine it,” she added.
Meanwhile regarding to the transparency of KEK privatisation, Mr. Sinani said “one of the criticisms that we have addressed towards privatisation process, was the lack of the governmental transparency to the public.”
Further he said “the main issue we have been asked to discuss is the business plan. We have asked about this business plan since it includes all details that public should know. The public should understand how is the privatisation process going and which are essential aspects of this process.”
Mr. Sinani said “we have asked to see this business plan in order to understand the advantages of the privatisation. At this stage we are, we don’t know the advantages, we are not aware about the electricity price after privatisation; we don’t know whether we will have more electricity or not. On the other words we don’t have any information that should be an indication to know what will happen after this privatisation,” he concluded.
Mr. Alidemaj said the KEK’s network is not in a desirable state. This happens because of lack of investments. Investments since the post war period have not been enough in order that KEK network can handle the load that comes from current consumers.
Meanwhile, Mr. Mustafa said “this privatisation process is an attempt that interest parties are trying to remove the responsibility of all interest parties, which have been part of KEK management from the post war period, until now.”
“People have misinterpreted that KEK receives subventions from the government. In the reality, KEK has been obliged to import the energy because of its lack of production capacity,” he ended.
http://www.jetanekosove.com/shikovideo/945/Alb
At the beginning of 2010 BIRN network published Digging Deeper - A Guide for Investigative Journalists in the Balkans, written in cooperation with Sheila Coronel, Director of the Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism and professor of professional practice at Columbia University, New York.
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