NEW WINDOWS for CITIZENS from FEES on electrcity, gas and fuel

As of next year, Serbian citizens will be able to replace old and worn out windows, or renew facades of their houses with more favourable loans. The portion of funds, as promises by officials, will be non-refundable. The money will be secured by the Energy Efficiency Fund, which should be established at the end of the year, and which should start with EUR 20 million, the „Vecernje novosti“ daily reports. That fund will also include funds energy efficiency fees, which will be paid for electricity, gas and fuel. Citizens will pay a fee of RSD 0,015 per kilowatt-hour of electricity consumed and fee for a cubic metre of gas and one litre of fuel will be RSD 0.15. „The Serbian Assembly adopted the Law on Fees for the Use of Public Goods in last year’s December, which stipulates the amount of compensation for improving energy efficiency, and which we can freely call symbolic. Thus, for an average monthly bill for consumption of 350 kilowatts, citizens will pay a fee of RSD 5.25 a month. Funds from the energy efficiency fees will be transferred to the Energy Efficiency Fund,“ Milos Banjac, Assistant Minister of Energy points out. Banjac explains that citizens will be able to use the money collected in such way to improve energy efficiency of their apartments and homes, and purchase energy-efficient devices. According to him, these funds will be allocated through favourable loans, while part of the money will be non-refundable. Banjac points out that the introduction of this fee as a stable source of funding was a necessary condition to secure grants, i.e. non-refundable assets of the European Union. Fees for energy efficiency will be included in July bills for electricity, gas and fuel. Srbijagas sent notice to its consumers that their cubic metre of gas will increase by RSD 0.15 because of this fee. The price of fuel also increased for the same amount per litre. Oil producers say that, in addition to excise duties, this is the fourth fee that will affect price lists on petrol stations. Banks are granting loans as well. Citizens have energy efficiency loans at their disposal in certain banks in Serbia, via so called GEFF credit line of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, intended to fund the green economy. Loans can fund purchase of windows and doors, house insulation, purchase of heat pumps, solar water heaters, boilers and other „green products“. Loans are approved with financial incentives of 15% when it comes to purchase of only one type of product (carpentry for example), and up to 20% in case of multiple purchase (e.g. carpentry and insulation). Refund is up to 60 days from the date of loan approval, by payment to the client’s current account in the bank. Mali: Tax Administration of so-called Kosovo.

Izvor: Večernje novosti

Foto: Pixels