Angjusev: Electricity debt write-off meant to help citizens, not companies

Speaking in Ohrid on Friday, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev said “there is a will” on both sides to wipe out citizens’ debts accrued before 2006.
“We intend to write off EUR 110 million in citizens’ debts,” PM Zaev said. “That’s a lot of money and would come as a great relief to citizens.”

Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs Koco Angjusev told journalists Monday that the announced electricity debt write-off is meant to help citizens who are stuck in the legal system, and not companies.
“The Prime Minister only announced the measure as an activity we’ve undertaken. We’re currently in negotiations on the issue,” said Angjusev.
“When talks are finished, we will give clear and precise information on how this will be put into practice.”
“We won’t be financing debts out of the national budget. We are in talks with the compalines so they write off debts incurred a long time ago,” Angjushev said in a response to reporter’s question.
“Those debts are hard to collect and only burden citizens in endless legal procedures,” he explained.
The Government is negotiating with the national power utilities ELEM and EVN to have 200,000 households’ unpaid electricity bills forgiven.