Berlin -27 August 2009 – During her official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, the Minister of Energy and Mines, Ms.  Justina Shiroka-Pula, on 25 August 2009 met with the State-Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Technology, which is the ministry responsible for the energy sector in Germany.

During the meeting, Minister Pula highly evaluated the great support that Germany has given to Kosovo’s energy sector and discussed issues pertaining to the need and possibilities for improving the already existing good cooperation between the two states.

The Ministry of Economy and Technology hosted the visit of the delegation from Kosovo and facilitated the organization of meetings in different institutions and firms, which showed interest in meeting with the MEM delegation. The meetings were followed  with great interest by print and electronic media.

Also, on 25 August 2009, Minister Pula met with representatives of the KfW Bank, which had organized, special for the MEM delegation, a Forum of Energy Policies, which hosted experts from the field of energy and where specific discussion was developed as regards policies of security of supply, efficiency and renewable resources, distance heating with combined cycles, etc.

The Kosovo delegation presented to this forum the policies of the Government of Republic of Kosovo for the energy and mining sector, emphasizing that these two sectors have strategic significance for the future prompt and sustainable economic and social development of our country. At this meeting, Minister Pula focused on the Governmental objectives of increasing security of supply with energy and improving its quality. To this end, she added, Kosovo is undergoing reforms that include completion of the legal and regulatory framework and unbundling of the energy corporation, in order of facilitating attraction of private investment in the development of new generation capacities and improvement of energy transmission and distribution systems.

On the other hand, on 26 August, the delegation headed by Minister Pula met with the German Economic Committee and the recently established German-Kosovar Economic Society, aiming to promote investments of German companies in Kosovo. During the meetings, special interest was given to cooperation possibilities in spheres of interest for both countries.

Further, on 27 August, the Minister visited two power-plants owned by Vattenfall, one of which operates in a combined cycle, in the Southeastern part of Germany, with capacities of 2x800MW. In Berlin, the delegation also visited the Siemens Turbine Factory. The delegation paid special attention to decontamination, recultivation and rehabilitation projects for polluted industrial sites and depleted lignite mines.

The entire visit of MEM’s delegation was greatly attended and facilitated by the Embassy of Republic of Kosovo, which was important in facilitating contacts with German companies and business associations.

On returning to Kosovo, Minister Pula will visit Graz, Austria on 28 August 2009, where she was invited to make a presentation on Kosovo and the possibilities for investment in its energy sector, with a special focus on the development of renewable energy resources.