Prishtina, 16 September 2024 – The seventh edition of the Kosovo Sustainable Development Week Conference – KSDW 2024 has begun.

At the opening of the Kosovo Sustainable Development Week, speeches were delivered by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, the German Minister of State for Europe and Climate, Anna Luhrmann; and the Deputy Head of the EU Office in Kosovo, Eva Palatova.

Prime Minister Kurti emphasized that over the past years, the Republic of Kosovo has made significant progress in energy transition and the climate agenda, demonstrating vision and commitment towards a sustainable future.

“This vision stems as a result of a truth that has now become clear to each of us: the security of our continent, and the security of each of our states, cannot be independent of our energy security. The path we have embarked upon is one of independence from the fossil fuels of autocratic states, which are served by Europe’s energy dependence”, stated Prime Minister Kurti.

Following the visit to the exhibition “Energy in Transition – Powering Tomorrow”, a press conference was held where the Minister of Economy of the Republic of Kosovo, Artane Rizvanolli, the Minister of Environment, Spatial Planning, and Infrastructure, Liburn Aliu, and the German Minister of State for Europe and Climate, Anna Luhrmann, addressed the media.

Minister Rizvanolli highlighted that during the three years of governance, significant progress has been made in the energy sector alongside our partners, and it is no coincidence that this week is organized jointly with GIZ, the German Government, the European Union, and civil society — partners with whom we collaborate throughout the country’s entire energy journey.

“Over the past three years, we have made substantial progress, on one hand in constructing new capacities and developing new projects, where, as the Prime Minister mentioned earlier, the German state has been a key partner same as the European Union. On the other hand, we have prioritized energy efficiency as the top priority of discussions and the implementation of measures like never before, becoming an example for all countries in the region”, said Rizvanolli.

Furthermore, tomorrow during the proceedings of the Kosovo Sustainable Development Week, Minister Artane Rizvanolli will participate in two panels: “The Green Agenda for the Western Balkans – A Joint Call to Action” and “Energy Transition in the Western Balkans”.

Over the four days of the conference, senior institutional leaders, policymakers, organizations, and experts from Kosovo and abroad will discuss climate action and its impact, the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans, energy transition in the Western Balkans, and other topics related to climate and energy.

Additionally, as part of KSDW 2024, tomorrow at 19:00, in the premises of the “Kosova A” Thermal Power Plant of the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK), the exhibition “A Power Plant” will open, focusing on the “Kosova A” and “Kosova B” thermal power plants.