Podgorica, (Montena-business) – Today the commission for selection of the most favourable importer of electric energy for next year will open all received offers on official tender, it was reported by Elektroprivreda Crne Gore (EPCG). “The tender for electric energy offers was published on Internet” said Djordje Milic, the economic secretary to the director of EPCG at today’s press conference. Milic said that Montenegro had no money for import of electric energy. “The condition that we cannot fulfil is that EPCG provides US $ 22 to 26 million with guarantees from a business bank, which will enable delayed payment.“ “The offers for electric energy supply for this year were sent directly to the suppliers, and EFT from London was the most favourable considering the price and financing conditions. EFT is a powerful company that can wait for us to pay a monthly debt in a period from 60 to 120 days” said Milic. According to Milic, electricity is imported from Republika Srpska through this London Company because Elektroprivreda of Bosnia and Herzegovina has demanded payment in advance of US$ 22 million monthly eight days before the delivery of electricity. Milic said that there was no information that Vojin Lazarevic was employed in EFT, and that Lazarevic had been a good president of the Company Board of EPCG. ”The problem of supplying electricity is already worsened, the output of Perucica decreased by 100 megawatts, and it produces now 2,8 million kWh. We import 2,4 million kWh from Bulgaria and 2,8 million kWh from London. The money for import of electricity from Bulgaria must be paid every five days” says Milic. There is a prediction that by the end of this year EPCG will have a debt of DEM 35 million for import of electricity. “The disagreements with Kombinat Aluminijuma Podgorica (KAP) is normal, because KAP uses 45% of the electricity of Montenegro. “KAP suggested to reprogram a debt of DEM 17,2 million from 1998, but that contract was not signed by the company’s administrative committee. We can not count on this debt of KAP to be collected in the next several years” thinks Milic. He told that, according to the EPCG’s papers for last year, KAP owed more than USD 2 million and he called on expert offices in both companies to determine obligations and demands. The director of the distribution sector Gojko Knezevic reported that by 12th of November 5,553 users had been cut off the electro net, and that 4,151 of them were households. “Their total debt was DEM 11,9 million, and monthly used about 11,5 million kWh or 8,5% of October’s spendings” said Knezevic. “Some of the biggest users cut off the net already paid all debt or parts of it. Among them are: Beranka company, Velimir Jakic company, Hidromont-Merkur, Vodovod Budva, Rada, Spiro Dacic, Prva petoljetka, Ski Centre Bjelasica, Gornji Ibar, Dekor, Tivat Airport, Sport Centre Moraca, Water pool club Primorac and Mlin Muharem Asovic” added Knezevic. According to Knezevic, the companies Radoje Dakic, Vodovod Cetinje and Obod were connected to the net with an obligation to propose a payment plan of debts by 23rd of November in cooperation with Republic Institutions. “The companies and institutions financed by the Republic budget were paying their bills on time” claims Knezevic. Further activities to make users to pay the bill will be focused on cutting off the net all households and private companies that owe more than one-month bill. The restrictions will be determined by the bill’s amount and quantity of electricity’s using. “Technically, it is possible that the companies cut off the net get connected to some other net, but EPCG doesn’t have information about that” said Knezevic. “The debt of users for first 17 days of November is reduced by DEM 11,4 million and now total debt is DEM 44,6 million or four average monthly invoices, not including October’s invoice of DEM 9,5 million” said Knezevic. The lack of electricity in Montenegro is chronic. It lacks about 30% of the total need of electricity, claims EPCG. Restrictions were stopped at the moment and has been used in accordance with the Law on Energy and general conditions of delivering electric energy and non-selective restrictions to the users that owe more than one monthly bill, claims EPCG. “At this moment EPCG has about 100,000 debtors and they will be cut off the net in the next period” said Knezevic. af/bd