Prishtina, 08.09.2016 – The Minister of Economic Development, Mr. Blerand Stavileci, accompanied by the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy and Natural Resources of the United States of America, Mary Warlick, visited today the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK), where the latter reconfirmed US support for Kosovo’s energy sector.

Stavileci said that the visit to KEK, along with the senior US official, was aimed at getting acquainted with the current works in this company, current and future challenges of the company.

“We are in a continuous process of implementing the TPP Kosova e Re project. To date, we’ve conducted a number of important steps towards the finalization of some of the main issues, which will enable us to proceed with the TPP construction phase, and I believe that in the next weeks we will have new developments, and will therefore be able to move to the next phase,” he said.

Stavileci added that on this journey Kosovo was always accompanied by its partners, which support our country, especially in the spheres that are related to economic development, a prerequisite of which is sustainable electricity supply.

“Our Government has arrived at a critical moment for the future and stability of the country’s energy sector, which is related to economic development. We have decided that we will make some projects that were initiated earlier a reality.

We are also preparing the Energy Strategy 2016-2025, in which we will address all problems faced by the energy sector currently, because there is no stable economy without stable energy supply,” said the head of MED.  On the other hand, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Energy and Natural Resources, Mary Warlick said that the USA believes that security of energy supply is essential for economic growth and encourages Kosovo to modernize its energy sector.

She said that the Vice President of the United States also underlined during his last visit in Kosovo that improving the security of energy supply, through the implementation of Kosova e Re, will provide Kosovo with sustainable energy and economic development.

“This new TPP, designed by American company Contour Global, is expected to reduce pollution and bring important benefits for Kosovo citizens,” said Warlick.

According to her, USA will strongly support every effort that aims to increase security of energy supply, development of clean energy sources and opening of the way for economic development.

After the visit to KEK, Stavileci and Warlick visited the solar panel production factory J.v.G – Jaha Energy in Fushë Kosovë.