(Podgorica, 31. July 2013) – Group of citizens from MANS, filed charges to the Administrative Court for shooting down the latest decisions of the Energy Regulatory Agency (RAE) that approved the income of energy companies, under which the electricity for households starting tomorrow will be more expensive, for the amount of 2-3 percent.
In mentioned decisions RAE had arbitrarily decided allowed income to energy companies, without valid explanations, which is continuation of practice to increase the electricity price in favor of the National Power Supply Company of Montenegro(EPCG) and the Montenegrin electric transmission system, to the detriment of consumers.
We notice that all previous decisions by RAE have already been canceled before the Administrative Court, and this institution has proved to be a constant violator of the laws and regulations of this state, and operates as a service for profit of Italian partners A2A and Tern, that manage EPCG and Montenegrin electric transmission.
So, thankfully to RAE, contracts for the import and export of electricity, and the conditions under which EPCG secures the electricity, are still unknown to the public in Montenegro. MANS earlier pointed that management of EPCG almost never on time makes favorable mid-term contracts for electricity supply, but mostly acquire it in the months when is the most expensive on the market.
The price of the imported electricity is one of the most important item in the account, and recent data presented by MANS showed that in the past five and a half years, half the amount that EPCG paid for the import, close to 138 million euro, it went to the companies that are key regional electricity suppliers Vuka Hamović and Vojina Lazarević, against whom Serbia filed criminal charges for corruption in the import and export of electricity.
At the same time, MANS presented that in the past year energy companies did not realize even those investments that citizens already paid through electricity bills. Even more, EPCG presented as investments jobs that fall under regular maintenance granted with a special revenue by RAE, that additionally increases the electricity bill.
In addition, how much RAE works in the interest of the companies, not the consumers, one of the indicators is that for years we pay too high technical loss, while Italian partner in EPCG tens of millions of euro, instead to invest, holds it in the First Bank, owned by Djukanovic family, to maintain its liquidity.
We remind that the alleged strategic partner A2A was primarily brought so its financial power could be invested in the modernization of the energy company, improvements of infrastructure, and loss reduction, but from that money profit only has the First Bank, that uses it for its own business.
Latest electricity price increase is the third in the past year and a half and will be heavy impact on the standard of poor citizens, that are already obliged to pay taxes euro per euro, frozen pensions, determined salary tax, increased PDV, while on the other side Aluminium plant in Podgorica (KAP) already year and a half, in behalf of us, uses the electricity, and does not pay even a cent.
Even more, RAE actively contributed in unlawful supply of electricity to KAP, and first unlawfully issued license to “Montenegro Bonus” through which would secure the electricity for the factory, while from the first day it knew about the theft of electricity from a European interconnection, and did nothing to stop it.
The steps of RAE leaders, whose series and benefits are among the highest in the country, have long been in the zone both political and criminal responsibility, and it is shameful that not even member of The Parliament, or prosecution to this date do not pose the question of their responsibility for a series of adverse decisions at the expense of the consumer, to satisfy the appetite of Italian partners in the energy companies.
MANS
