Residents of the “Lugina e Doktorëve” neighborhood in North Mitrovica have started receiving warnings from the electricity company Elektrosever about potential power disconnections. During September, the company sent written notifications to residents, stating they would be disconnected from the grid due to unpaid bills.
Residents claim that the billed amounts do not comply with the Brussels Agreement, which stipulated a quarterly flat rate of €21.60. According to them, Elektrosever continued to charge €54 per month until May this year, when meters were installed in the homes of the “Lugina e Doktorëve” neighborhood.
Fatmir Shala, head of the neighborhood, explained that since February, when it was decided that northern Kosovo would pay for electricity consumed from Elektrosever, residents had not received invoices. The company later presented contracts demanding payments of approximately €1,000 per household.
“Residents refuse to pay this amount because the flat rate was not applied as agreed. No meters were installed initially, we were not informed, and we received no invoices. In May, after meters were installed, we were still not provided with bills for our consumption. Residents have only paid for the three months they actually used,” Shala stated.
The warning of disconnection is considered threatening and unfair by the 22 households in the neighborhood. Shala warned that protests could be organized against the company’s actions.
Resident Musa Myftari echoed the concerns, stating that the flat rate of €54 per month is arbitrary and intended for profit. He emphasized that payments would only be made according to the Brussels Agreement, which set a maximum of €20 per month for three months.
The Municipal Assembly of North Mitrovica, led by Nexhat Ugljanin, announced a public hearing scheduled for September 22 to address residents’ concerns. He noted that similar issues affect other neighborhoods and stressed that residents should seek legal protection.
Security expert Arben Dashevci described Elektrosever’s actions as unacceptable and an example of Serbia conducting “hybrid warfare” against Kosovo.
As of now, residents have submitted letters regarding Elektrosever’s threats to the North Mitrovica Municipal Assembly, as well as to acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti and acting Minister of Local Government Administration Elbert Krasniqi.
Elektrosever received its license to operate in Kosovo in June 2023 and was set to begin distributing invoices to consumers in early 2024, following an agreement reached in Brussels within the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue framework.
