Obiliq, January 6, 2025
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, together with the Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, participated in the signing ceremony of 220 new employee contracts at the Kosovo Energy Corporation, at the Kosovo B Power Plant.
Prime Minister Kurti began his speech with thanks and gratitude for all those involved after the attack on the Ibër – Lepenc canal, while in addition to the challenges, he also mentioned the successes, in which case 525 new employees have been hired at KEK in the last two years, while today KEK added 220 new employees to the Coal Division.
“With the increase of employees in the production sector, we ensure the operation of KEK for the next two decades. And no one knows this better than you, how important it is for KEK and for the whole of Kosovo, and how endangered the operation has been precisely due to the lack of workers in production”, the Prime Minister continued.
“With the increase in production sector, we ensure the operation of KEK for the next two decades. And no other knows better than you, how important it is for KEK and for the whole of Kosovo, and how endangered the operation has been precisely due to the lack of workers in production”
Meanwhile, Minister Artane Rizvanolli stated that KEK will continue to play a key role in our energy sector and for this reason it is extremely important to have employees who operate these technologies. She expressed her pleasure to be present at this beginning of the year, which she described as the most important year for KEK in the last two decades.
In addition to KEK’s key role in managing the energy crisis and in production, Prime Minister Kurti also highlighted several other achievements, such as the completion of the expansion of the boilers in Block B according to plan (2023); the signing of contracts for the modernization of TC Kosova B, which will begin in April; cooperation with Albania: exchange of 250Gwh, in which case 50 million euros were saved for Kosovo; maintaining security of supply – purchasing energy with the budget allocated by the Government; as the record profit in recent years of 105.7 million euros.
“Meanwhile, in recent years, we also had the realization of a record profit of 105.7 million euros, which enables investment in the rehabilitation of TC Kosova A, and since we are on this topic, the management has promised us that the tender for the rehabilitation of block A3 will be announced this month”, he said, adding that in 2025 the 100 MW solar park project at KEK will also start.
At the end of the contract signing ceremony, Prime Minister Kurti and Minister Rizvanolli distributed cards to new KEK employees, while wishing everyone a happy new year.
Full speech of Prime Minister Kurti:
Honorable Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli,
Honorable Chairman of the Board, Valdrin Krasniqi,
Honorable Acting CEO of KEK, Bekir Gerguri,
Dear KEK employees,
Honorable attendees,
Ladies and gentlemen,
Sisters and brothers,
First of all, allow me to welcome the Acting CEO, our director, Bekir Gerguri, but also the Director of the Public Enterprises Unit, Valon Prebreza, after the accident they had on the morning of November 30 of the year we left behind, following the attack on the Ibër – Lepenc canal, while they were returning home.
On this occasion, thank you to everyone who spent that night at KEK and who worked hard in the following days, so that the units would not stop for a minute as a result of that failed attack from which we once again emerged victorious.
Dear workers,
The last time we met in this hall was a little over two years ago, when we celebrated the New Year 2023, and in the meantime, we can say that we have had many challenges, but at the same time many successes:
– the expansion of the boilers in Block B has been completed, according to plan (2023);
– the contract for the modernization of TC Kosova B has been signed, which will begin in April.
And in the last two years, 525 new employees have been hired at KEK, while today KEK is adding 220 new employees to the Coal Division. By increasing the number of employees in production, we ensure the operation of KEK for the next two decades. And no one knows this better than you, how important it is for KEK and for the whole of Kosovo, and how endangered the operation has been precisely due to the lack of workers in production.
KEK has played a key role in managing the energy crisis, not only in production, but also:
– in record cooperation with Albania: exchange of 250GWh, which saved 50 million euros for Kosovo;
– and also, in maintaining security of supply – purchasing energy with the budget allocated by the Government, for which I thank you and express our gratitude as the Government of the Republic.
Meanwhile, in recent years, we also had the realization of a record profit of 105.7 million euros, which enabled the investment in the rehabilitation of the Kosovo A power plant, and since we are on this topic, the management has promised us that the tender for the rehabilitation of the A3 block will be announced this month!
And the year 2025, which we have just entered, is very important for another reason, because the 100 MW solar park project at KEK will start.
Honorable management and board of KEK, Minister of Economy, dear employees,
Good luck to all of us together in these projects. Congratulations to the new employees who are starting work.
And since this is my first visit this year to an enterprise in general, and especially to public ones: I wish each and every one of you and your families and friends a prosperous new year!
All the best!
Last modified: January 8, 2025