The Ombudsperson has published today Report with Recommendations concerning billing that is performed on citizens of Republic of Kosovo for the electricity consumed in the northern part of the country. Ex-officio investigations have been initiated by the Ombudsperson based on article published in daily press “Zëri”, of the date 7 April 2017, with the title: “KEDS charges us with 8 million euros per year for the electricity consumed by Serbs in northern part of Kosovo.”

This Report has three main purposes: evaluating whether this practice is indeed in compliance with the legislation mentioned by ERO and Department of Energy; evaluating whether this billing practice represents violation of human rights, actually property right, the right not to be discriminated as well as the consumers’ rights, and at the same time provides specific and concrete recommendations to responsible institutions concerning actions that need to be undertaken by them to fully abide with the legislation at force as well as human rights.

Upon confirmation which the Ombudsperson obtained from Energy Regulatory Office (ERO), that the energy consumed in the north is invoiced to citizens of other part of the country and after communication conducted with the Ministry of Economic Development, actually Department of Energy and with Ministry of Trade and Industry about the issue subject of this concern, has find out that such action is opposite with Laws at effect, which regulate energy sector as well as contrary with the Law on Consumer Protection. Furthermore, constitutional provisions and international human rights standards are violated through these actions, which deal with the right not to be discriminated and property right.
Therefore, the Ombudsperson recommends that:
1. ERO urgently terminates unlawful practice of billing of the consumed electricity in the northern part of the Republic of Kosovo to customers of other parts of the country.

2. The Government of Republic of Kosovo, in cooperation with ERO and KEDS to find alternative way to evade losses in the north of the country, by treating all customers equally according to constitutional and legal norms against discrimination.

3. ERO, in compliance with the Law No. 05/L-084 on Energy Regulator, to promulgate a decision through which it will approve tariffs’ reduction up to that level which will enable customers’ reimbursement that unjustly have been invoiced, and continue to be invoiced for the energy consumed in four northern municipalities of the country.

Full form of this Report with Recommendations has been delivered today to responsible authorities and the same will be forwarded to the Government derived from last Elections. The same Report has been disseminated to media and is published on OI official web page. http://www.ombudspersonkosovo.org/repository/docs/915-2017,_Raport_me_rekomandime-i_skanuar_100136.pdf