Kosovo has assumed the Presidency of the Council of Ministers of the Energy Community during the 24th meeting of this Council in Vienna, positioning itself at the center of regional decision-making on energy policies, KosovaPress reports.
The Acting Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, described taking over the presidency as an important institutional responsibility and an opportunity to advance the reform agenda within the Energy Community.
She said that starting in 2026, Kosovo will exercise political leadership of the decision-making process in this international forum.
“For us, the priority will certainly be to push forward the reforms initiated within this international forum, but with special care for energy security and the affordability of prices for Kosovo and for the other countries of the Community,” she said, according to the media release.
As part of this meeting, the Council of Ministers approved a case against Serbia for blocking the energy interconnection with Kosovo.
“This blockage, which has continued for more than five years, has caused direct negative consequences for the functioning of Kosovo’s energy system, increasing the load on the grid and transmission costs through alternative lines via Montenegro, North Macedonia, and the Republic of Albania,” Rizvanolli said.
As a result, Serbia is obliged to enable the use of this line for cross-border electricity trade, no later than July 1, 2026. This is expected to contribute to improving energy security, reducing cross-border capacity costs, and, consequently, stabilizing tariffs for consumers.
During the meeting, ministers from the member countries also discussed issues of strategic importance for the energy sector, including energy security, regional market integration, and recent developments within the Energy Community, emphasizing the importance of respecting the principles of cooperation and the functioning of the free energy market.