The Energy Regulatory Office (ZRRE) has once again reacted today, stating that the process of liberalizing the electricity market is a legal obligation, established by laws passed by the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo in 2016.
According to ZRRE, at that time, the Assembly of the Republic of Kosovo, through energy sector laws, transposed European energy directives, stipulating that the electricity market must be liberalized.
“Therefore, the process of deregulating and liberalizing the electricity market in energy sector laws derives from the contractual obligations that the Republic of Kosovo has as a signatory to the Energy Community Treaty,” the statement reads.It should be emphasized that since 2017, ZRRE has undertaken all legal and regulatory actions to create the conditions for liberalizing the electricity market, and in 2017, it began the process of deregulation and liberalization, starting with industrial consumers entering the market.
“Currently, in the open electricity market, there are 23 licensed electricity supply companies, of which 7 are active and have signed contracts with consumers. We clarify to the public that 9,963 metering points of business enterprises meet the legal criteria to enter the open electricity market, of which: 9,212 metering points (92%) are being supplied under commercial contracts, and 751 metering points (8%) are still without a supplier,” the statement reads.
ZRRE emphasizes that even these metering points that remain without a supplier have been supplied with electricity since June 1, 2025, and from that period, they have had the opportunity to choose an electricity supplier and sign a contract.
“To facilitate the transition of consumers who meet the criteria to enter the open market, ZRRE, according to the provisions of the Law on Electricity, has designated the Kosovo Energy Corporation (KEK) as the Supplier of Last Resort (SLR). These consumers who had not yet signed commercial contracts by June 1, 2025, have been supplied through the SLR for a sixty (60) day period,” the statement continues. Furthermore, it is noted that “according to the provisions of the Law on Electricity, consumers who fail to enter into agreements with one of the licensed suppliers, the system operator is obliged to cut off electricity supply to them.”“ZRRE will continue to monitor the process and encourages all consumers who meet the criteria to enter the open market and who have not yet signed commercial contracts to do so as soon as possible, to ensure a stable supply,” ZRRE stated.
The Kosovo Chamber of Commerce (OEK) has filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court against the Energy Regulatory Office (ZRRE).According to OEK, this lawsuit has been filed to protect businesses, the economy of Kosovo, and most importantly, to protect the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo as end consumers, against what it considers an unfair decision by ZRRE.
Additionally, the Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) has announced that this week it will submit to the Constitutional Court the decision of the Energy Regulatory Office, a decision that forces over 1,400 businesses to enter the so-called “free electricity market.”
The Kosovo Chamber of Trade and Industry, through a statement, said that the process has numerous legal and procedural violations and has appealed to the Government of Kosovo and ZRRE to immediately suspend the implementation of the decision and initiate a transparent review process.
