Kosovo could become regional energy centre, says Ahtisaari

Regarding Kosovo’s prospects Ahtisaari noted that utilising its vast lignite reserves the country could become an energy production centre of the region.

Budapest – Kosovo could become a regional centre for energy production, which could help the country tackle political problems, former UN Special Envoy for the Kosovo status process Martti Ahtisaari said at a ceremony in Budapest on Thursday.

The Nobel Peace Prize laureate diplomat, who was Finland’s president in 1994-2000, received the George Soros founded Central European University’s Open Society Award.

Ahtisaari said he had been profoundly impressed by what he had seen in Kosovo on the first anniversary of the country’s independence. Kosovo is much more peaceful, and this could allow a slow and careful start to withdrawing peacekeeping forces from there, he said.

Regarding Kosovo’s prospects Ahtisaari noted that utilising its vast lignite reserves the country could become an energy production centre of the region.

But to start mining and to build lignite powered generators could take another 12 to 15 years, which, once underway, could help tackle political problems.