The government envisages a review of the "New Kosovo" project

Review of the project for the construction of the "Kosova e Re" thermal power plant has been foreseen by the Hoti Government in the governing program. In the part that talks about energy, it is said that "this power plant will be completed in the optimal term and at an affordable cost".

But there he did not give details about how this project will be realized, when it will be revised or how it will be continued with the contract signed by the former Haradinaj Government.

At the end of May, the investor "Contour Global" announced that it intends to terminate the agreement with the Government for the construction of "New Kosovo", demanding 20 million euros for the expenses it says it has incurred for the project.

The American Chamber of Commerce considers that in order to avoid financial damage to Kosovo, it would be ideal for the new Government and the company "Contour Global" to return to the negotiation table. According to the chairman Arian Zeka, the withdrawal of this company from the construction of the power plant gives Kosovo a bad image in the eyes of investors.

"The return of the construction project of the thermal power plant 'New Kosova' among the priorities of the new Government is more than necessary for the energy future of the country. Given the demand for compensation from the previously selected investor and to avoid any financial damage to Kosovo, it would be ideal for the parties to return to the negotiating table, although I fear it may already be too late and we may have missed this opportunity", said Zeka

But Dardan Abazi from INDEP said that for them this project is "dead".

"The World Bank does not support it and even the selected investor, 'Contour Global', has already withdrawn from the contract. The government must make public all the procedures and make transparent the entire procedure followed, including the negotiations, to shed light on the process that resulted in the most damaging contract for Kosovo since the post-war. In addition, with the stoppage of this harmful project, there is a unique chance, with the help of local and international partners, to carry out genuine studies with modeled projections that enable the shaping of energy policies based on data and real needs," he said. Abazi.

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KOHA tried to contact the new Minister of Economy and Environment, Blerim Kuçi, regarding the request of the "Contour Global" company, but he was not available.

The investor "Contour Global" announced last year that it plans to withdraw from the plans for the construction of the thermal power plant with a capacity of 500 megawatts. He also mentioned the formation of the former Kurti Government as a reason, since, as he said, the former Prime Minister Kurti publicly opposed this project.

The agreement for the construction of "New Kosovo" was signed in December 2017. In June 2018, this company opened a tender for the construction of the "Kosova e Re" thermal power plant.