Bosnian Serbs Delay Electricity Price Rise After Protests

The government of Bosnia's Serb-dominated entity has halted an announced increase in electricity prices at the last moment after coming under fierce pressure from consumers, experts, unions, the opposition and even some members of the ruling parties.

"As a single mother, I was outraged," a resident of the northwestern town of Prijedor told BIRN on Thursday, about the plan.

"It is not only about the electricity bills ? it means a rise in many others costs and prices," she added.

Troubled by the growing debt accumulated by its power company, Elektroprivreda RS, the Regulatory Commission for Energy of Republika Srpska on June 11 announced that the price of electricity would rise by an average of 8.76 per cent as of July 1.

The Republika Srpska Minister of Energy, Industry and Mining, Petar Djokic, on June 12 said the authorities would help the most vulnerable categories of consumers affected by the rise.

Branislava Milekic, head of the RS power company, on June 19 said the company was making losses because electricity prices had not risen since April 2010, although operating costs had increased by 32 million euro per year due to new taxes and fees.

The President of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, put a positive spin on this decision, saying that even after the increase, the price was still among the lowest in the region.

"I cannot believe people could make so much noise about the announced increase of electricity prices, which is minimal," Dodik said on June 23.

However, as the storm of protest grew, he suggested that the new price was the responsibility of the Regulatory Commission for Energy.

Regardless of who was behind the rise, the administration faced growing public pressure and...