The current crisis in the Albanian energy sector is a result of mismanagement and theft, not a result of the lack of rain and the inability to produce enough electricity to cover our domestic needs.

This is what energy expert Eduard Elezi said during an interview for Euronews Albania.

Elezi said that in 2021, this sector experienced a record surplus in its net energy production, but instead of making a profit, it registered 200 million euros in debt.

“Theft has costs which the government can’t cover for and will instead rise the price of energy for consumers and businesses. They went as far as risking the supply with electricity at the Drini Cascade, whereas Fierza stopped working altogether. That is what I mean with mismanagement in our hydro sector as well as theft in terms of energy trading, which reached levels of up to 400 million euros in 2021,” – said the expert.