REQUEST OF TWO MUNICIPALITIES TO EPS
21.10.2010.
Assemblies of Nis City municipalities Pantelej and Palilula, whose residents owe to the Electric Power of Serbia more then 2,3 billion of RSD, launched initiative to write off interest for electricity. Argument for such a proposal, which was sent to the Government of Serbia, EPS and Ministry of Mining and Energy not only as it concerns the two poorest Nis municipalities but and because it is about local governments that the amount of income of citizens from their area are among the 10 poorest municipalities in Serbia, conveyed by correspondent of Blic from Nis ((www.blic.rs/Vesti/Srbija/212745/Traze-da-ne-plate-kamatu-za-struju). Interest are higher then basic debt for electricity – Many citizens speak to us every day with requests for financial help to pay the bills for electricity.

Average earning on the territory of our municipality is 20.000 RSD,  so many are unable to pay debts that are burdened by huge interest. On interest certainly account more the half of the debt. There is cases that someone has basic debt for electricity 10.000 RSD, and that with interests he has debt about 200.000 or 300.000 RSD. If the interests is write off, citizens would be able to pay the debt and to solve this perennial problem – says Slavisa Dinic, president of Municipality of Pantelej, which is by amount of earning is on 165th place of 167th places in Serbia. And Assembly of City Municipality of Palilula also initiated the writing off of the part of the debt which is chargeable in the name of the interest for electricity bills to households to the March 2010 since when is in implementation model of settlement of outstanding debts on the basis of duplicate invoices. Director of the facility “South” within Nis Electric Power Dragoslav Pavlovic states that residents of five Nis municipalities owe more then 5,58 billions RSD for electricity. – It is impossible to lump estimate which part of total debt goes to interest without detail analysis of  individual debts of our customers because every case is different and demands special budget – says Pavlovic.

In Nis Electric Power state that is for write off of the interest charge EPS.

Taken from “Blic”
Text: Branko Janackovic, Photo: K. Kamenov