Acting Minister of Economy, Artane Rizvanolli, stated that discussions regarding the American gas project in Kosovo are ongoing at an expert level, but no decisions have been made yet.

In an interview on the RTK morning program, Rizvanolli emphasized that the public debate about gas should not be reduced to political slogans, but should be grounded in professional assessments.

“Discussions continue and will continue at the expert level. When there is any new information, we will be completely transparent and discuss it,” she said.

She pointed out that Kosovo currently does not utilize gas and raised the crucial question of whether investing in this infrastructure is economically and strategically viable.

“The key questions are how much gas we need, how much this infrastructure would cost, and what this means for other energy sources,” the minister explained.

Rizvanolli noted that analyses conducted in 2021, in collaboration with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), guided investments towards battery-based energy storage systems. She also mentioned that the use of liquefied natural gas (LNG) is seen as a limited option, given the energy capacities planned in Albania.

Regarding relations with the United States, she asserted that there is no contradiction between Kosovo's interests and those of the U.S. and that the gas issue should not be interpreted as a test of their relationship.

“There is no discrepancy between the interests of the U.S. and Kosovo. The government's decisions will always align with the long-term interests of the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo,” Rizvanolli declared.

She added that Kosovo remains open to discussions with allies and all relevant stakeholders to identify the best solutions for the energy sector.

During the interview, the minister also discussed renewable energy projects, highlighting the 105-megawatt solar park, which has begun construction following the completion of administrative procedures.

“Next spring, it is expected to be operational and generate energy. We are talking about one of the largest projects in the region,” she stated.

According to Rizvanolli, the auction for the solar park was conducted competitively and transparently, which has increased the confidence of international investors and attracted significant investments from the diaspora and Swiss companies into Kosovo's energy sector.