Montenegro Tries to Calm Fuel Price Anger

Montenegrin Prime Minister Igor Luksic will on Tuesday meet representatives of NGOs and trade unions angered by recent rises in electricity prices.

Srdjan Kekovic, Secretary General of Montenegro's Free Trade Unions, told Balkan Insight they wanted the government to withdraw its decision to increase the price.

They also want senior officials of the Regulatory Agency for Energy to  resign and the State Prosecutor to investigate «dubious privatizations and determine who are the corrupt individuals thanks to whom we have the most expensive electricity, telephone and fuel bills in the region».

In December, the average Montenegrin household spent about 40 euros a month on electricity.

This month, the Regulatory Agency for Energy adopted new methodology envisaging a further 7 per cent rise in electricity.

Mass protests were then held on January 21. According to the organizers, the NGO MANS, the Free Trade Unions of Montenegro, and the Montenegrin Students’ Union, up to 10,000 people turned up to voice dissatisfaction.

«The time for indentity issues has passed and the time for social issues has come,» Srdjan Kekovic said, refering to the way that national issues have tended to overshadow socio-economic issues in Montenegro.

The Regulatory Agency for Energy blames the increase in prices on increased costs. Prime Minister Luksic also said it was not deliberate decision but a reflection of difficult circumstances.

Although they say their primary objective is not political, the organizers of the latest protest say they will take to the streets again and demand a new government if their demands are not met.

«We already have a lot of support from employees and citizens to organize another protest. It's up to the Government to decide what direction the whole situation will take,» Kekovic told Balkan Insight.