The Council for the Protection of Human Rights and Freedoms (KMDLNj) has strongly reacted following the decision by the Energy Regulatory Office (ZRRE) to increase electricity prices by 16.1%, as reported by Rks News.
“Despite two protests in Pristina, opposition in other forms, and the submission of comments, the structured criminal enterprise ZRRE yesterday approved the decision to raise the price of electricity by 16.1%, which will significantly worsen the lives of the majority of Kosovo’s citizens, many businesses, and especially vulnerable groups such as pensioners, social scheme beneficiaries, war veterans, etc.,” stated KMDLNj in their response.
The Council also criticized the Kurti government for inaction: “The Kurti 2 government did not take any action to protect the impoverished citizens of Kosovo, even accepting the price increase with some improvisations from the relevant minister, escalating this rise.”
In the statement, KMDLNj accuses ZRRE of “never representing the interest of the citizens but instead excessively and immorally defending the interests of electricity operators and certain government structures from the end of the war until today. For 15 years, it has stolen money from the citizens of Kosovo on an ethnic basis by exempting Serbs from any payment obligations through inflated bills. To this day, the affected citizens have not been compensated, despite a court ruling.”
KMDLNj calls on citizens to organize and intensify protests.
“ZRRE is not the state and cannot be above the law. Intensifying protests is in the interest of protecting a common good, so everyone should protest regardless of ethnic background, political beliefs, age, gender, or social status,” they stated in their reaction.
“The increase in electricity prices will not remain an isolated case; on the contrary, it will lead to higher prices for all goods and services. This criminal increase will contribute to the depopulation of Kosovo, with young people already leaving in massive numbers. Protests must be organized throughout Kosovo, and KMDLNj strongly supports social and economic protests.”
