Kosovo Serbs suffer due to power cuts

The situation in the municipality of Strpce, where local Serbs have been left without electricity since July 11, is becoming increasingly difficult. Red Cross Secretary in the town Ivica Puzic told Tanjug news agency that power cuts have hit healthcare services the hardest, as well as food storage and IDP centers, housing 320 people. Kosovo Serbs suffer due to power cuts For this reason, Puzic said he expects the international community to intervene and put an end to a humanitarian catastrophe in the Sirnicka Zupa region of the province. The local Red Cross has sent appeals to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, and all international community representatives in Kosovo in order to help Strpce be reconnected to the power grid. The Kosovo company that distributes electricity, KEK, has asked the Serbs to sign collective and individual contracts concerning payments and jurisdiction over a local transformer station, but did not provide any guarantees that old debt would be written off. The Serbs, who are ready to pay a lump sum of EUR 26 per household covering the past two months, have rejected KEK's request. The company then cut off electricity to all homes in the municipality. Earlier, KEK said that the problem in Strpce would be solved "once households start paying debt and signing collective and individual contracts".

Kosovo Serbs suffer due to power cuts

For this reason, Pužić said he expects the international community to intervene and put an end to a humanitarian catastrophe in the Sirnićka Župa region of the province.

The local Red Cross has sent appeals to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent, and all international community representatives in Kosovo in order to help Štrpce be reconnected to the power grid.

The Kosovo company that distributes electricity, KEK, has asked the Serbs to sign collective and individual contracts concerning payments and jurisdiction over a local transformer station, but did not provide any guarantees that old debt would be written off.

The Serbs, who are ready to pay a lump sum of EUR 26 per household covering the past two months, have rejected KEK's request. The company then cut off electricity to all homes in the municipality.

Earlier, KEK said that the problem in Štrpce would be solved "once households start paying debt and signing collective and individual contracts".