Residents of the “Lugina e Doktorëve” neighborhood in North Mitrovica have begun receiving warnings of electricity disconnection from the company “Elektrosever.” During September, the company sent several written notifications to residents, informing them that they would be disconnected from the power grid due to unpaid bills.

Residents claim that the debt billed by “Elektrosever” is not based on the Brussels agreement, which stipulated that for a three-month period a flat fee of €21.60 should be applied. According to them, “Elektrosever” continued to charge €54 per month until May of this year, when meters were finally installed in the homes of the “Lugina e Doktorëve” neighborhood.

The head of this neighborhood in North Mitrovica, Fatmir Shala, stated that since February, when it was decided that northern Kosovo would also pay for electricity consumed from “Elektrosever,” residents have never accepted the invoices.

He added that citizens requested information from the company, but were presented with contracts demanding payments of approximately €1,000. Shala stressed that residents refuse to pay this amount because the flat fee was not applied as initially agreed.

“They did not install the meters, did not notify us, and did not send any bill. In May of this year, they began installing meters, but even after installation, for 3–4 months they did not inform us or provide bills for our consumption… Everyone who went there was offered a contract to sign for around €900, explaining it as a flat fee from February last year of €54 per month plus expenses for three months. Most residents opposed it and are not willing to pay this flat fee or accept it as is; they want it according to the original €21.60, so residents only paid for the three months they actually consumed,” he explained.

For the 22 households in this neighborhood, the warning of electricity disconnection is seen as threatening and unjust. Shala also warned of potential protests to oppose this action.

“This seems like a kind of threat, especially with the winter season approaching. Being disconnected from electricity during winter is unfair… If we are disconnected, there are other forms of protest… In general, the amount is around €800, plus about €90 for expenses,” Shala stated.

Another resident, Musa Myftari, expressed concern over Elektrosever’s disconnection warning. He believes the company is charging residents for its own failures.

“We received a threatening letter reminding us of past failures. They did not install electricity meters on time in February 2024 and did not inform residents. They blame us for their mistakes and threaten to cut off our electricity if we don’t pay… Elektrosever was supposed to install meters within three months in all households, but they did not. Brussels had assigned a flat fee of around €20 per family, but they ignored this and in September 2025 sent a letter demanding nearly €1,000 per household, increasing the original €20 to €54… We don’t know on what basis they multiplied the €20; it seems arbitrary for profit,” he explained.

Myftari emphasized that payments will be made only according to the conditions of the Brussels agreement from February 2024.

“The person who brought the contract was not introduced to any resident… We will pay according to the legal terms set in Brussels: a maximum of three months at €20, and according to the installed meters, we will pay for what we consume. But if our willingness to pay what we consumed is misused by Elektrosever authorities and we are disconnected, I don’t know how we will respond,” he added.

Residents of this neighborhood have informed local authorities about their concerns regarding Elektrosever’s warnings.

The Chair of the Municipal Assembly of North Mitrovica, Nexhat Ugljanin, told KosovaPress that the Assembly will hold a public hearing on September 22 and will notify central institutions in writing about the residents’ concerns. Ugljanin added that similar concerns exist among residents of other neighborhoods in North Mitrovica.

“We have issues with electricity disconnections. Many social cases have debts of 2–3 thousand euros, and Elektrosever demands 30% of that amount, yet the citizen still owes Elektroserver because the company did not fulfill its obligations. According to the agreement, until the meters were installed, residents were supposed to pay €21 per month and businesses €54. Immediately after, shocking bills arrived. Complaints also come from the Serbian majority community; there are 5,000 complaints to Elektrosever with the same concerns,” he stated.

The Chair of the Municipal Assembly stressed that residents should turn to judicial institutions regarding these concerns. According to him, the letters being sent to residents warning of disconnection do not have any stamp or signature.

“The letter giving five days to fulfill obligations lacks any seal, signature, or authorization. This process was not carried out according to agreements and is a matter for the courts, not for us as institutions, because citizens should be legally protected. Citizens cannot avoid payment, but there are obligations that Elektrosever has not fulfilled,” the Chair stated.

The planned disconnection by Elektrosever for the Albanian community in northern Mitrovica is being considered a “hybrid war” by Serbia against Kosovo. Security expert Arben Dashevci described such actions as unacceptable and impossible.

“Kosovo faces a fierce hybrid war externally with Serbia; this is known to everyone. Naturally, they exploit any opportunity to create concern, panic, disinformation, blackmail, or sabotage… Considering Kosovo’s social and financial situation, for anyone to come and threaten citizens in a country with institutions is unacceptable and absolutely impossible in my view,” Dashevci stated.

On Monday, residents of “Lugina e Doktorëve” sent a letter detailing their concerns about Elektrosever’s threats to the Municipal Assembly of North Mitrovica, as well as to the acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, and the acting Minister of Administration and Local Government, Elbert Krasniqi.

KosovaPress sent inquiries regarding the disconnection warnings to Elektrosever, the Ministry of Economy, and the Energy Regulatory Office (ZRRE), but as of publication, no responses had been received.

Elektrosever obtained its license to operate in Kosovo in June 2023. From the beginning of 2024, the company was scheduled to start distributing bills to consumers, based on an agreement reached in Brussels as part of the Kosovo-Serbia dialogue.