TIRANA, Aug. 15 – Albanian businesses issued a strong warning that the electricity crisis was so adversely affecting them that the country could move towards a total collapse.
Albanian Konfindustria, an association of a group of businessmen, complained that the government did not take into consideration its advice on the solution to the energy crisis that is severely harming their work.
It added that the new power resources announced with fan faire by the government would need some two to three years of work before providing relief. Such a lengthy period will weaken and result in bankruptcy for many Albanian companies.
Albania has been suffering up to 15 hours of daily power cuts this summer.
Increased energy use, with air conditioners running during the recent heat wave, has also contributed to the shortage.
Importing electricity has also been problematic, as has domestic production at hydropower stations, due to there being no rainfall for the past 40 days.
Albania imports 5 million to 6 million kilowatt hours per day, and produces another 5-6 million, a level that has resulted in outages of up to 15 hours daily.
Post-communist Albania has suffered regular electricity problems attributed to poor management, an outdated distribution system and lack of money.
Konfindustria also expressed opposition to the price increase the Albanian Electro-Energy Corporation, or KESH, has been asking for next year.
“Albania cannot pay for the power thefts, cannot increase prices when it is already known that would fall on the regular payers, cannot make KESH efficient unless the government and the whole political class considers this an extraordinary situation,” said a statement.
In another statement, local businessmen also complained of the lack of regular water supply, besides suffering from the energy crisis.
It expressed particular concern for the lack of water supply to industrial implants, especially those located in the Tirana area, suffering from continuous cuts during the day.
They said that the lack of water supply shuts down their plants and has resulted in losses of hundreds of millions of leks.
Businessmen said they understood the general weather situation, but a continuing lack of water cannot be allowed due to the grave consequences. They blamed the overall problem on poor management of the public companies in charge.
The businessmen further said the lack of water supply and power outages are a result of not a locak of water, but abuse and corruption within the public utilities.
The commercial deficit increased by 23 percent during the first half this year, which speaks of the “serious problems the Albanian productive economy is facing,” said the business group.
