The Federal Government of Germany has submitted a request for resolving the dispute between Serbia and Kosovo regarding the status of the Kosovo broadcasting operator, a dispute that has blocked the functioning of the new interconnection line between Albania and Kosovo.
The German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development asked to Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna to set in motion the Center for Resolution of Disputes and Negotiations to facilitate communication between Serbia and Kosovo on the old dispute between Serbia's broadcasting operator, EMS and the Kosovo Broadcasting Operator, KOSTT, informed the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna through a press release.
According to the announcement, the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation "is particularly concerned because this dispute is blocking investment in the energy sector in the region and is blocking the integration of the regional energy market in the Western Balkans."The Energy Community Secretariat is a Vienna-based regional office that is tasked with implementing the Athens Treaty, which provides for a joint energy market between the Balkans and the European Union. The treaty was signed in Athens in 2005.
German Bank for Reconstruction and Development KfW financed most of the costs of the building of an interconnection line connecting the Albanian power system to the Kosovo power system.
The line, which cost 75 million euros, required many years to be build and there were many delays. It was inaugurated with in June 2016, but despite being ready for more than a year, it has not been put into operation because Serbia does not recognize KOSTT's electricity transmission operator, and has the right to veto the European network of operators of ENTSO-E broadcasting.
Albania and Kosovo are losing millions of euro potential benefits from line malfunction, while Serbia has conditioned KOSTT's recognition as a separate entity by granting a license for the distribution of electricity in northern Mitrovica within Kosovo's territory.
The Albanian government earlier complained to the Energy Secretariat in Vienna and in October 2016 Serbia was found guilty of violating the Athens treaty and was asked to release it in December 2016. Although December passed, Serbia did not comply with the request nor is being punished for the violation because the punishment must come in the form of political measures by the Council of Ministers of the Energy Community.
According to the press release, the Energy Secretariat "will contact the governments of Serbia and Kosovo and will organize the mediation process in the near future". The Mediation by the Secretariat is not new news to the situation. However, it is assumed that the demand came this time by the German government could provide a solution to the problem.
The operation of the interconnection line can pave the way for closer cooperation between Kosovo and Albania in the electricity sector with mutual financial benefits for both countries./Oculus News