Crans Montana Forum focuses on possible winter energy crisis

TIRANA, May.10-12 – The second session of the Crans Montana Forum in Tirana was attended by Sali Berisha, Prime Minister of Albania, Agim Ceku, Prime Minister of Kosovo, Jean-Paul Carteron, Chairman and Founder of the Crans Montana Forum, Peter Medgyessy, Former Prime Minister, Ambassador at Large, Hungary and Christopher Mattheisen, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Magyar Telekom (Deutsche Telekom). The Forum hosted a number of international companies such as: EADS, Siemens, ATR, Magyar Telekom (Deutsche Telekom), France Telecom, Vodafone, EVN, Terna, Iride Acqua Gas Group, Albanian-Macedonian-Bulgarian Oil Company (AMBO), Visa, Raiffaisen Bank, National Bank of Greece, Intesa SanPaolo, Wolf Theiss, Nestle, Coca-Cola and Cotecna. In attending this year’s Forum, international companies showed their recognition for the steps taken by the Albanian government to improve the country’s business and investment climate.
In a special panel dedicated to energy problems, participants addressed the possibility of a regional energy crisis this coming winter in the Balkans. Genter Ofener, head of the Austrian energy company “EVN”, declared that electricity demands are expected to be around 30 thousand megawatt/hour. Other companies that export energy to the region estimate the demand to be higher than local provisions for the next five years. 215 million euro is the value of all expected Albanian imports for 2007 and prices are expected to rise. Hence, Ofner warned Balkan officials to plan well in advance their energy import strategies. Economy Minister, Genc Ruli declared that the energy national strategy is being reconsidered in the light of new regional developments. Domestic energy production declined in 2007, while imported energy has increased three-fold to meet Albanian energy needs.
Ted Ferguson, the head of the AMBO project, noted that the Balkans has serious systemic impediments to the development of businesses. As an example, Ferguson presented to the participants the project of the oil pipeline that will run from Burgas to Vlora.