The Government of Republika Srpska has announced the issuance of a guarantee for the electricity sector’s borrowing for loans in the amount of 400 million marks. The loan is also needed for the reconstruction of the distribution network. This all comes at a time when the Government purchased the concession for Ugljevik from Rašid Serdarov for 240 million marks, but also at a time when public companies in the electricity sector are allocating millions for unnecessary promotions and marketing.
100 million for the reconstruction of the distribution network
Of the 400 million BAM loan, the plan is to spend 150 million each on two thermal power plants, and 100 million on the reconstruction of the distribution network. “It is unacceptable that some places remain without electricity for days,” said the relevant Minister Petar Đokić recently.
The Government is helping with guarantees, but it is interesting that everything could have been solved with the money given to the Commissioner for the purchase of the concession.
The Government gave Rašid Serdarov 240 million marks for the concession, which, according to analysts, should have been terminated long ago.
Petar Đokić, Minister of Mining and Energy of the RS, argued: “We, within the government, taking seriously the problems that both distribution and individual production companies have, planned to provide guarantees for 400 million.”
Problems with the distribution network are being used in the opposition. The PDP notes that the problem, especially after the latest price increases, should have been solved by now.
“When they knew how to take over 100 million from the backs of citizens based on the increase in the network fee, then we expect and demand that this network be reconstructed,” adds Bojan Kresojević, PDP MP in the RS National Assembly.
Tens of millions of marks in debt
Just for the distribution of electricity, the parent company Elektroprivreda owes its subsidiaries tens of millions of marks. At the same time, companies from the Elektroprivreda system allocate millions for marketing almost on a monthly basis. This money ends up in the accounts of agencies that are close to people at the top of the entity government.
EPRS did not answer the question about the debts they have towards their subsidiaries. Likewise, this company has been silent for months on the topic of millions of allocations of its subsidiaries for promotion and advertising.
While on the one hand it is spending on marketing and representation, on the other hand it is announcing the raising of huge loans due to the need for new investments. An investigation into unnecessary spending on advertising was announced more than three months ago by Prime Minister Savo Minić, but there is still no epilogue to such an investigation.
