Pristina, 07.03.2024 – Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, attended the inauguration of efficient measures at the Primary and Lower Secondary School “Abaz Ajeti” in Gjilan, to observe the investments made in the framework of implementation of projects of the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund (KEEF).

Minister Rizvanolli, while addressing the challenges faced so far by students and teachers of the PLSS “Abaz Ajeti”, emphasized that energy efficiency is not only important for reducing energy bills but is crucial for all of us as individuals and institutions, because with the savings achieved, schools can invest in teaching materials to enhance the quality of education.

She stated that the Government of the Republic of Kosovo is interested to keep energy efficiency at top priorities in the energy sector and allocated around 5 million euros to KEEF last year to realize approximately 30 similar projects, because by doing so we save and ensure that our environmental impact is reduced. Therefore, investing in these measures will enable students to have a more suitable environment, warmer during winter and cooler during summer.

With an investment of around 340,000 euros in the PLSS “Abaz Ajeti” in Gjilan, one of the largest investments made by KEEF, in addition to the comfort it will provide to students, teachers, and school staff, it will save about 70% of energy. This is made possible through the financial support of the European Commission, the World Bank, and the Government of the Republic of Kosovo, through the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund.

The investment in this school includes:

External thermal insulation;

Replacement of old windows and doors with new, four-seasonal;

Roof reinforcement;

Installation of a new central heating boiler using pellets;

Replacement of old lighting fixtures with new LED ones.

In addition to the investments made in this school, the Government of Kosovo, through the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund, has also invested in the Primary and Lower Secondary School “Rexhep Elmazi” at Dheu i Bardhë with around 144,000 euros, and in the Primary and Lower Secondary School “Mehmet Isai” with 212,000 euros.

Over the past two years, KEEF has implemented around 90 projects in various public facilities worth around 12 million euros, investments that have been made with the support of the European Union, the World Bank, and the Government of the Republic of Kosovo.

Present at the inauguration of the energy efficiency measures were the Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, Mayor of the Municipality of Gjilan, Alban Hyseni, Executive Director of the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund, Driton Hetemi, the representative of the EU Office in Kosovo, Alessandro Bianciardi, the representative of the World Bank, Elene Imnadze, as well as the School Director, Arsim Bejtullahu.