Pensioners to be compensated for the increase of power price

Tirana, June 13 – The Albanian deputy Minister of Finances, Sherefedin Shehu, has said the Albanian government will compensate all pensioners and those who receive economic help for increases in power prices. Two days ago, the Albanian government decided to compensate all state employees who earn under ALL 35,000 per month with an additional ALL 500 per month for increased power costs. The Albanian government is planning to use ALL 2 billion for the compensation. The plan being used to compensate the pensioners and the recipients of economic help is similar to that used in 2006. The Ministry of Finances is in the process of compiling lists of those who are to benefit from the compensation. “The Ministry of Finances has compiled lists of all the petitioners, and had approved all those who fulfil the criteria to benefit from this assistance, and in its decision taken two days ago, the government has allocated the necessary funds, so the people are going to receive the compensation they deserve”, Shehu said.
The Albanian Power Regulatory Board decided to increase, beginning March 1, 2008, the power price for those who consume more than 300 kWh per month. Albanian consumers are going to pay exactly as in the past, ALL 7 per kWh for power used under the threshold of 300 kWh. For each kWh over the 300 kWh threshold, Albanian consumers are going to pay ALL 12 per kWh.
The Albanian Power Regulatory Board decided to increase power prices by 19 percent. The average price for residential consumers is ALL 8.73 per kWh. However, the Albanian Power Corporation (KESH), International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are still not satisfied with this increase. They claim the increase approved by ERE in February is insufficient to cover the deficit of KESH. (Tirana Times Staff)