Prishtina, 16.04.2018 – As of today, 12 public buildings have been equipped with energy efficiency measures.  This was made possible through investments of the Ministry of Economic development, through a World Bank loan for the Kosovo Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Project, with a total value of the phase reaching 2.3 million EUR.

The inauguration of this phase of the project was attended by the Minister of Economic Development – Valdrin Lluka, Director of the World Bank for Kosovo – Marco Mantovanelli, Minister of Health – Uran Ismaili, Director of Hospital and Clinical University Service of Kosovo – Basri Sejdiu, and other representatives of institutions and UCCK.

After cutting the inaugurating ribbon in front of the UCCK Dentistry Clinic, which is one of the buildings where these measures have been implemented, Minister Valdrin Lluka said that the implementation of this project will not only will provide better conditions for patients and staff, but will also provide electricity savings of about half a million EURO, which will also affect the budget saving of the Republic of Kosovo.

“For the first 12 buildings, the project envisages an investment of around 2.3 million EURO, and we also expect 20 other objects to be inaugurated by September this year, while there are 23 additional buildings in the final stage of tendering, which we hope to intensify and complete by the end of this year”, said Minister Lluka.

The Minister also underlined that these 50 buildings that could be completed by the end of this year will significantly contribute to the country’s lower electricity consumption. He added that the project with the World Bank is very large, and envisages renovation of 140 facilities to make them more efficient, and expressed his appreciation for the contribution that this institution is providing in the field of EE.

The World Bank Director for Kosovo, Marco Mantovanelli, said that his institution is supporting the Government of the Republic of Kosovo to create energy efficient buildings and renewable energy with a $ 31 million loan. The objectives of this project are to achieve a higher efficiency in spending public money.

“We expect that after the end of this project, these energy savings will lead to savings of public funds of around 18 million EUR a year. The second objective is to reduce the energy demand, the third objective is to have a cleaner environment, and the fourth objective is to create jobs through this project”, stated Marco Mantovanelli.

Minister of Health, Uran Ismajli, said that the renovation of these hospital facilities is a good model to replicate in other hospital facilities and we will not stop but rather continue in the future with such reforms that contribute to the improvement of health of patients and citizens of the Republic of Kosovo.

From his part the Director of the Kosovo Hospital and Clinical Hospital Service, Basri Sejdiu, considered that this project is a great help, given that opportunities are being made for the saved funds to be used for medicines or for projects that are vital to patients.