As warned, the CEZ Company cut the power supply of the aqueducts
throughout the country. Within a few hours, Durres, Kavaja, Elbasan,
Kurbin, Vlore, Saranda, Fushe-Kruje, Lezha, Memaliaj, Patos, Permet,
Fier, Lushnje, Skrapar, Peqin, Korca, Kucova and Berat have remained
without tap water because of the CEZ Company action.
The company declared that the debt reached 38 million EUR, and that the aqueducts have been warned several times.
The action was followed by incidents. The Vlore Police District announced that they have intervened by returning the energy in all aqueducts. In Saranda the police have taken under custody some CEZ employees and the Network Maintenance Director. The police have then returned the power supply to the aqueducts.
There was tap water shortage in most of the cities, while a grave situation was created with the pumps of the sewage waters.
The entire country was damaged by the penalization that the CEZ Company has undertaken for the debts. Some aqueducts have sued the CEZ directors for the extreme measure.
Police is reacting in many cities. A tense situation was verified in Fier, where there have been incidents. After the energy was cut, the residents of some villages attacked the station and returned the energy in the entire area. The government ordered the police to intervene and return the energy.
METE: CEZ is damaging national security
The Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy reacted this Friday for the situation that has been created.
Deputy Minister Sokol Dervishaj considers this measure a collective penalization, and asked the company to reflect and withdraw from this extreme action.
CEZ is damaging the national security. The institutions owe CEZ 1 billion ALL, while CEZ owes 14 billion ALL to the state”, Dervishaj declared.
Government officials declared that if CEZ will not withdraw, the government will have to take the necessary measures.
The Ministry of Finances reacted by saying that CEZ has obligations to the Albanian Power Corporation, and that they are demanding the payment of delayed interests when the principal is already paid.
“Here we have an agreement that was approved this February by the Albanian government, an agreement between them and CEZ, when CEZ was still able to pay the debts to the Albanian Power Company. CEZ refused to implement this agreement. We have mentioned several times with persistence that the debt that CEZ owes to the Albanian public companies is dozens of times higher than the debt that CEZ claims against the aqueducts. CEZ claims that the delayed interests start since 2007, 2008 and 2009, while they have been paid for the principal. Now they want the delayed payments. According to the law, it is clear that you cannot cut the power supply for the delayed interests. The delayed interest is not a penal condition, but a civil condition that is resolved in Court”, declared the Deputy Minister of Finances, Alfred Rrushaj.
NDS: Government plunged in corruption
The New Democratic Spirit criticized the government about the recent events with the tap water.
Stavri Ristani, Director of the Infrastructure Department in this party and former Deputy Minister of Public Works declared that CEZ has interrupted water supply to the hospitals, kindergartens, daycare centers, state and private institutions.
“Although CEZ had warned to cut the power supply and tap water, it is clear that the government has failed with the reforms in the energy sector and drinking water”, Ristani declared.
Ristani underlined that the Albanian government is completely plunged in corruption and incapability, and it is leaving the Albanian citizens without energy and drinking water, by denying them these basic needs and rights.
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