TIRANA, June 5 – The price of energy in Albania should be increased, suggested Dimitrios Papathanasiou, an economist working for the World Bank, during a roundtable organised by the Albanian Power Corporation (KESH) and the grassroots movement “Mjaft” (Enough). Papathanasiou declared that the financial losses of KESH are unacceptable and political consensus is required to resolve its core problems. The representative of the World Bank declared that the debate about energy sources have become heavily politicised and further said the debates about energy and its problems should be left to technocrats. Oil prices are increasing and everyone should grasp its repercussions, Papathanasiou said. Energy prices, independently of the source of energy, are going to follow the price of oil. Albania, like all countries, is facing the problems of increasing energy prices.
The experts participating in the roundtable agreed that the price of power in Albania is lower than the price of power in neighbouring countries. “The demand for energy in the world markets is increasing. The price of power in Albania should follow the price in the world markets, and nevertheless, our price is the lowest in the region”, said Milva Ikonomi, the director of the think tank, Agenda.
People in need should be supported
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) also called upon the Albanian government to increase the price of energy. Simultaneously, the IMF warned the government against an increase of salaries for all state employees and pensioners. Instead, the IMF advised the Albanian government to improve its system of social help directed to those in need who are living under the poverty level or just above it. “In Albania, around 18 percent of the population, out of around 3.2 million Albanians, live in a difficult economic situation. These poor individuals are helped through the social help system that doesn’t work consistently, because it is centralised”, Ikonomi said. Those experts participating in the meeting reiterated the advice of the IMF. The government should support and subsidize the poor and the needy.
