Serb villages again without electricity

Serbs in the Kosovo village of Priluzje are holding a peaceful protest today because they have yet to have their electricity switched on. Also, after receiving electricity yesterday, the village of Silovo once again does not have electric power. Serb villages again without electricity Schools have been closed for several days in Priluzje, the municipal offices are not working, while only emergency cases are being accepted at the hospital. After nine days without electricity, Silovo was left in the dark again after a power failure last night because of excessive usage. The problems in this area of Kosovo were caused by malfunctions and the distribution network of the Kosovo electric company, KEK, is not implementing collective shutdowns, according to the company. “The policy of KEK is to intervene in the malfunctions in the electric network in the regions that pay for their electric bills at an acceptable level,” KEK stated. “We do not intervene in regions where the payments are at an unacceptable level or where they are no payments being made,” the company adds. The statement adds that the since 1999, the citizens of Kosovo owe about EUR 360mn in unpaid electric bills. KEK did not want to fix a malfunction in the network in the villages where consumers do not pay electricity bills. Those consumers, however, say that they cannot pay because they have been left jobless. Four villages in which Serbs live—Priluzje, Grace, Babin Most and Plemetina—have not had electricity since last week. There are also several Albanian villages that have not paid electricity bills which currently do not have electricity. Residents from those villages protested as well. Peacefully, until Friday The Vucitrn municipality vice president says that a peaceful protests will be held there until Friday, after which it will turn radical if the problem with electricity supply is not resolved. Milorad Stolic said the “radicalization” would be aimed against both Pristina and Belgrade. “Radicalization against Kosovo institutions would mean blocking work in Kosovo institutions in Priluzje, and against Serbia would mean a collective announcement by people that they will organize and move to Belgrade,” he said. According to him, five Serbian families have left Priluzje in the last three days without explanation. Stolic said that it is not yet known whether the families had permanently left the village, or simply left until the electricity problem was resolved. “These days more families have asked for a KFOR escort to the administrative crossing with Serbia to leave Kosovo with all members of the family and all their furnishings,” he said, adding that people had gotten the idea independently because they did not see a way to “avoid a humanitarian catastrophe” because of the several-day lack of electricity and water. "Concrete solutions" The Ministry for Kosovo the Coordination Centre for Kosovo have lodged an official protest with UNMIK due to electricity supply problems in Serb areas. They at the same time offered two concrete solutions to the issue which are the result of the joint activities of that ministry, the Energy Ministry and the Serbian public power company, EPS, President of the Coordination Centre Zvonimir Stevic told Tanjug. According to Stevic, the first solution, which was offered earlier, refers to the setting up of a special company that will be in charge of supplying Serb communities in Kosovo with electricity. “Along with this solution, we have the approval of the government that through compensation, EPS can make up for the electricity the Serb households have consumed,” Stevic said. This comes as come Serb enclaves were left without electricity for nine days.

Serb villages again without electricity

Schools have been closed for several days in Prilužje, the municipal offices are not working, while only emergency cases are being accepted at the hospital.

After nine days without electricity, Šilovo was left in the dark again after a power failure last night because of excessive usage.

The problems in this area of Kosovo were caused by malfunctions and the distribution network of the Kosovo electric company, KEK, is not implementing collective shutdowns, according to the company.

“The policy of KEK is to intervene in the malfunctions in the electric network in the regions that pay for their electric bills at an acceptable level,” KEK stated.

“We do not intervene in regions where the payments are at an unacceptable level or where they are no payments being made,” the company adds.

The statement adds that the since 1999, the citizens of Kosovo owe about EUR 360mn in unpaid electric bills. KEK did not want to fix a malfunction in the network in the villages where consumers do not pay electricity bills.

Those consumers, however, say that they cannot pay because they have been left jobless.

Four villages in which Serbs live—Prilužje, Grace, Babin Most and Plemetina—have not had electricity since last week.

There are also several Albanian villages that have not paid electricity bills which currently do not have electricity. Residents from those villages protested as well.

Peacefully, until Friday

The Vučitrn municipality vice president says that a peaceful protests will be held there until Friday, after which it will turn radical if the problem with electricity supply is not resolved.

Milorad Stolić said the “radicalization” would be aimed against both Priština and Belgrade.

“Radicalization against Kosovo institutions would mean blocking work in Kosovo institutions in Prilužje, and against Serbia would mean a collective announcement by people that they will organize and move to Belgrade,” he said.

According to him, five Serbian families have left Prilužje in the last three days without explanation.

Stolić said that it is not yet known whether the families had permanently left the village, or simply left until the electricity problem was resolved.

“These days more families have asked for a KFOR escort to the administrative crossing with Serbia to leave Kosovo with all members of the family and all their furnishings,” he said, adding that people had gotten the idea independently because they did not see a way to “avoid a humanitarian catastrophe” because of the several-day lack of electricity and water.

"Concrete solutions"

The Ministry for Kosovo the Coordination Centre for Kosovo have lodged an official protest with UNMIK due to electricity supply problems in Serb areas.

They at the same time offered two concrete solutions to the issue which are the result of the joint activities of that ministry, the Energy Ministry and the Serbian public power company, EPS, President of the Coordination Centre Zvonimir Stević told Tanjug.

According to Stević, the first solution, which was offered earlier, refers to the setting up of a special company that will be in charge of supplying Serb communities in Kosovo with electricity.

“Along with this solution, we have the approval of the government that through compensation, EPS can make up for the electricity the Serb households have consumed,” Stević said.

This comes as come Serb enclaves were left without electricity for nine days.