Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Belinda Balluku said that these amendments will bring Albanian energy legislation closer to that of the EU countries in order to create an integrated and more attractive energy market for both foreign and local investors, adding that all the changes have been implemented in full cooperation with the Energy Community. The Albanian Parliament has approved legislative changes that will allow the completion of unbundling process of state-owned electricity distribution system operator OSHEE.
Last year, The Energy Community Secretariat said in a statement that it continues the preliminary dispute settlement procedures launched against Albania in January 2018 for the lack of effective unbundling of OSHEE. Albania was not able to remedy the arguments raised in the Secretariat’s Opening Letter as regards the failure to comply with its obligations under the Energy Community Treaty: the country has not correctly transposed the requirements for unbundling of electricity distribution system operators into national legislation and has not taken measures to effectively implement legal and functional unbundling of OSHEE. In the view of the Secretariat the accomplished registration of separate legal entities responsible for distribution and supply in Albania, still does not sufficiently put in place effective operation of de facto unbundled companies. Only when separated from other segments of the energy supply chain can distribution system operators act independently and consumers benefit from greater choice of electricity supply companies, which in turn offer improved services at a fair price.
