Energy, Buschle: Citizens have the right to chose. Regional market dominated by Serbs

Since the market is monopolized, there is the need for an urgent intervention.

“When the government took the energy sector, it was already burning. The losses were increasing each day more and the encasing was getting lower. This was not stable in short, middle or long terms. The measures include stopping the energy theft. This requires consumers to pay their obligations, otherwise the sector will keep suffering”, Buschle declared.

Buschler says that in parallel with these measures, the government should start reforming the market by ending the monopoly of the state and creating free competition for generating and supplying energy. This means a division of the infrastructure, the transmission, distribution and the power supply, with consumers being free to chose what the market offers.

“We are currently operating under a monopolized system, in which state companies control everything, from all levels. The energy import is not transparent and consumers have no choice among suppliers. The new suppliers could offer better conditions and this can be realized by reducing the government’s control and regulation over the price”, Buschle declared.

Buschle underlines the reinforcement of the regulator role. Under the new law, it should not only follow the market developments, but should guarantee maximal transparency and consumer protection. Buschle mentioned the concerns related to a possible dominance of the Serbian companies in the regional market.

“There is a limited number of companies in the region. Many of them are Serbian. I don’t want to point any finger, but we have had concerns regarding the lack of transparency in this sector. This is not about the energy selling companies only, but also buyers. There are local companies with interest in keeping the situation as it is. This is an example in which the Energy Regulation Entity or the Competition Authority should intervene for seeing if this part of the market is organized in a transparent way, not just for some people to have profits, but that can be realized through a better agreement which preserves the consumer’s interest”, Buschle declared.

Top Channel