Prishtina, 14 November 2013 – The Minister of Economic Development, Fadil Ismajli, participated today in the conference on investments in the energy sphere, organized by the Energy Community Secretariat in Vienna, and attended by ministers of EnCT Member States, European Commission, EBRD, KfW, World Bank and other banking and financial institutions.

Key topics discussed in the conference were the need for investments in projects of interest for the Energy Community, generation and transmission capacities, challenges faced by local enterprises and the regulatory developments in respective countries.

Using the occasion, Minister Ismajli underlined the significance of investment plans for generation, respectively plans for rehabilitation of generation capacities and construction of the Kosova e Re Power Plant, and for the increase of transmission capacities, etc.

Moreover, Minister Ismajli once again ensured all participants that the closure of thermal power plant “Kosova A” is closely connected with the development, respectively commissioning of the new thermal power plants.

Also, Minister Ismajli placed special emphasis on energy efficiency and state policies in this sector, underscoring that this represents one of the priorities of the Government of Kosovo, adding that to date a number of grants and soft loans were given for feasibility studies on EE and implementation of EE measures in public buildings at local and central level.

Along these lines, Ismajli informed the participants on the available renewable energy sources. “Second National RES Action Plan 2011-2020” was just approved and Kosovo aims to achieve the indicative target of having 29.47% of the overall consumption covered by renewable energy sources. Currently, the Kosovo Energy Regulator’s Office is reviewing 27 applications regarding RES generation, he said.

Otherwise, the conference was used for discussing advantages and challenges that exist in the region, from both infrastructural and regulatory aspects.

In the margins of the conference, Minister Ismajli held special meetings with counterparts from participating states and bankers, with whom he discussed on the possibilities for cooperation in the abovementioned spheres.