ECIKS - Archives of news from Kosovar economy and business

Prishtuinë, 17 November 2006 - If the Government of Kosovo does not agree with an international administration for "Trepca", the enterprise might be liquidated. The Special Chamber of the Supreme Court will decide on the administrator. "There are two possibilities. If the administrator does not come, Trepca might be liquidated,” said Mechthild Henneke, UNMIK Pillar IV Spokesperson.

According to Henneke, even without consent of the Government, the Administrator may come to Kosovo, but in that case the administrator would not get the support needed and that is not what UNMIK wants. "The purpose of an administrator is a greater cooperation with officials of the Government, since Trepca is the core of Kosovo. For further actions, joint steps are required,” said Henneke.

Nazmi Mikullovci, Trepca General Manager said he is against a foreign administrator. “It was planned to be decided until November 09, but even being a Trepca manager I have not received any information,” he said.

The Trade Union (BSPK) is also against an international administration. “In the next meeting of the KTA Board, scheduled for November 16th, we will discuss this problem. The selection of the administrator can not be made without our consent," said the Head of BSPK, Bahri Shabani.

Naip Zeka, Chairman of the Independent Commission for Mines and Minerals (ICMM) Board, could not explain why the administrator has not been appointed yet. According to Zeka, after the final status is solved it will be the responsibility of the Government of Kosovo to find the most suitable way to privatize Trepca. Zeka also said Trepca would then have the same status as other SOEs. “A model needs to be found, which would define the shares of the Government of Kosovo in Trepca, since money of Kosovo’s budget was invested there,” said Zeka.

Kosovo Government to establish a lignite company “As continuation of the restructuring of the energy situation in Kosovo, and for the purpose of handling the energy supply situation during the winter 2006/2007, the Ministry of Energy and Mining has proposed the establishment of a stake-holding company called‘Kosovo Corporation of Lignite’, which would be dealing with new capacities to exploit, processing of and supply with lignite,” stated a press release issued by the government, reported Zeri.

The Kosovo Assembly approved the proposal yesterday and the matter will now proceed to the Kosovo Trust Agency. The Government Cabinet has also approved the World Bank Letter on approving the policy for developing lignite resources in Kosovo, in particular in Klina and Sibovc, reported the papers.

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