Esteemed journalists,
other media representatives and everyone watching,
welcome to today's press conference,
where we will present the decrees the government adopted
at yesterday's correspondence session.
We are joined by Bojan Kumer,
Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy,
Igor Glušič, director of Komunala Trbovlje,
and Boris Novak, director of Energetika Maribor.
Minister, please explain to your counterparts
what these decrees mean for the bills of individual households.
Thank you. As you said, there was a correspondence session yesterday
where the government acted very quickly.
The government had already adopted measures
long ago, on October 27th.
The government capped the price of natural gas,
believing that this would have a sufficient effect
on final retail prices of heating of district heating companies.
We also wanted to divide part of the burden
among the district heating systems
and local administrations or rather municipalities.
We largely succeeded.
Prices of heating are competitive, capped and affordable.
However, the district heating companies of Trbovlje, Maribor
Nova Gorica and Ravne na Koroškem
had made a number of decisions in the past
that made this measure insufficient.
That is why we needed to act further.
We were alerted by our colleagues last week
during the meeting on the analysis of the situtation.
We prepared a decree over the weekend
so we could quickly and efficiently provide affordable heating
to the residents of those parts of Slovenia.
The goal of this government had always been
to act quickly and efficiently
and to cap heating prices before and during winter.
The decree that was adopted yesterday
caps the variable part of the prices of heating
and also prevents the transfer of costs
to the fixed parts of other rates of other consumer groups.
It caps the price upwards, to 98,7 EUR per megawatt hour.
There are a few district heating companies
in addition to the aforementioned ones
that are still a bit above this limit.
The average prices of all district heating companies in Slovenia
range from 45 to 160 EUR per megawatt hour.
So the government's measure lands in the lower half.
I also have to point out
that this decree came into effect on January 1st 2023.
Bills have not been issued yet.
In accordance with our agreement with both directors
and the president of the district heating section
the other companies will also adapt
and comply with the measures and this decree.
We are also additionally appealing to the management,
in this case director Novak of Energetika Maribor
and director Glušič of Komunala Trbovlje,
to come up with their own programs for vulnerable groups
that either have poorly insulated homes
or cannot afford the higher costs.
So, we are appealing to them for these programs
and to municipalites to help with this,
as other municipalities have helped
complement government measures.
It is also important to note that this decree addressed
the price of heating for all users this winter.
The decree will be in force until April 30th.
I hope we can prepare for next winter in time
so that such upward capping will not be as necessary next year.
That is all for now. -Then there was the decree
on the subsidies for the purchase of wood pellets.
How did you intend for this to help the public?
We also adopted this decree yesterday.
It is an implementing act
based on the Act on Intervention Measures,
so that the economic public service Borzen d.o.o.
can pay out subsidies for wood pellets to natural persons,
so that everyone who purchased wood pellets for heating
from September 1st to December 31st 2022
can have part of their expenses reimbursed.
We standardised this appropriately in the Act.
In the decree that we adopted yesterday
we also set the payment method,
we set more detailed conditions regarding proof of payment
that claimants need to present in their application,
and we defined the content of the online application in more detail.
I am glad that the economic public service Borzen
swiftly created a completely digital process
that will be quick and more effective.
We also ensured that users who are less versed in digital and IT skills
can also submit their applications in the regular manner.
Borzen has one month from the adoption of the decree,
which was published in the Official Journal yesterday,
to prepare this application and the conditions for claimants.
Thank you. I invite to the podium
Mr. Igor Glušič, director of Komunala Trbovlje,
where the residents were most upset about the bills.
Let us reassure them with this measure.
I was already faced with extremely high heating prices in Trbovlje
in the middle of last year.
In the past five months we have used strong measures
in order to lower the price of heating.
I would first like to thank the Minister and the government
for quickly addressing the real problems
that our users face in their households
and found a solution that will benefit everyone.
We conduct all mandatory and optional
economic public services In Trbovlje.
This means that, in addition to the costs of heating and hot water,
citizens also receive a bill for all other services,
which comprise a large portion of the invoice.
Due to the market conditions
and the positive effects caused by the decree,
or rather the government act
that capped the price of gas for households,
we announced in January
that we can further reduce the price of heating.
Despite this, we saw that the citizens' bills will be higher
due to lower temperatures.
That is why we promised an additional 15 % discount
on heating in January for all households in Trbovlje
and we will do so regardless of the government's decree.
Of the approximately 4000 households in Trbovlje
that we provide heating services to,
about 87 % of all households pay up to 200 EUR per month
for heating and hot water services.
It was said that there are users with exceptionally high bills,
over 300 or 400 EUR. These comprise about 2 %.
Together with the municipality, who we work with very well,
we will address them and we are appealing to them
to turn to us and the municipality for aid.
For nonrefundable aid for socially vulnerable groups
and for payment in installments
for those who cannot pay in such a short time.
We estimate that the government measure
will reduce the cost of heating by approximately 34 EUR
for a 70 m2 three-person apartment in an insulated building.
I also have to say that most users in Trbovlje
use both heating and hot water services.
Both of these together create costs
that citizens find hard to cope with in the current situation.
Again, we appeal to the citizens to turn to the municipality
the mechanisms that the municipality provides,
and to turn to us as well for aid.
In the coming period we will also provide advice
on what citizens can do
to lower the costs of heating in apartment buildings,
where the costs depend on multiple users.
Thank you. How will it be in Maribor?
The CEO of Energetika Maribor will tell us what the prices will be.
Thank you. First, I want to say
that the decree means two things.
Firstly, the Government of the Republic of Slovenia
and the Ministry of Inftrastructure
that is now called differently, followed our suggestions
about the problems we mentioned in Maribor.
They showed that the government and the ministry respond
to our specific problems.
And secondly, the decree that was passed yesterday means
that for a 53m2 big apartment in Maribor,
the heating price without this intervention would be €145
and now, it will be €109. For a 69m2 big apartment,
the price before was € 185.90
and now, it will be €140. There is quite a big difference.
We believe we will keep cooperating with the government
and we will successfully overcome all the challenges.
Thank you. -Thank you. I invite journalists being with us online
because they aren't here, to raise their hand if they want a word
and ask their question. I will ask you to do it.
Ema Čepon of Pop TV is trying to log in. She has a word.
We can't hear you. -Can you hear me?
Yes. Go ahead. -Thank you. I have two questions.
The first one is about schools and kindergartens.
Some municipalities are saying
that parents will have to pay the heating.
The municipalities can't pay it alone.
What measures will you pass? Are you preparing something?
The second question is also for the minister.
How has the work changed at the new ministry,
what does it mean logistically, how many people will be moved?
Do you have any information about how many people will be employed
at the ministry and what will the budget be?
Thank you. First, I will answer the last question.
Yesterday, the parliament completed
the reconstruction of the government.
It will take some time,
a week, maybe a month, to amend the budget.
I want to stick to the today's topic
and come back to these questions later,
when we will have the information about the budget
of the new and reorganised ministries.
The number of employees changes almost daily.
I want to thank the ministers with whom we share our tasks
for a respectful dialogue. Changes are a part of life
and if we want a modern government,
we have to follow modern guidelines.
Slovenia now has the ministry for climate change
and can start shaping climate policies.
To the first question, I can say
that the second part of the cost of living crisis
from last year is to equate schools, kindergartens
and other protected consumers that get the heating
from individual devices,
which means gas, or district heating.
We are coordinating
and working with the Office for legislation
and the Ministry of Finance to amend the decree
where we would limit gas prices
for schools and kindergartens to €79/MWh.
I hope the government will discuss it tomorrow
or maybe in a couple of days
and pass it. With it, all the consumers will be equated
and treated equally.
This was also the wish of all remote heating systems CEOs,
for all such customers to be treated in the same way.
We will soon adopt this part of the regulation as well.
Thank you very much. Next is Dejan Rat, Radio Maribor.
Hello. My first question is for the Minister.
The Government limited the price to €98.70. With or without VAT?
Without VAT. This is the net price.
As you know, both CEOs emphasised
that the variable heat price is only one of the items on the bill.
Remote heating systems are arranged differently,
therefore, at the end, VAT is added to all these items.
Do you have a sub-question, Mr Dejan?
On the Energetika Maribor website, all prices include VAT,
so that people will have a better idea if they do the calculations.
Another question for the Minister and the CEO of Energetika Maribor.
What does this gap mean?
In Maribor, the announced price was a little less than €150,
now the price is €98.70.
Who will cover the difference and how?
I am sure that my colleagues in the individual energy departments
will correct the information on the websites.
The key here is that both CEOs talked about the amount of the bill.
That's what counts in the end.
As for your question, I can say
that the Government must supplement the reimbursement regulation.
We will have to return the negative difference
which will be caused to individual remote heating systems.
These analyses are ongoing.
I must praise the Energy Agency, which cooperated constructively.
They performed analyses over the weekend,
so that we could calculate accurately.
I'm happy...
First, remote heating systems will have to demonstrate precisely
what is the negative difference and why.
If they can prove it, the Government will refund them the difference.
I give the floor... -Go ahead.
As said, the regulation was passed yesterday,
new calculations are still being made.
Corrections will also be published on the Energetika Maribor website.
A calculator that is informational in nature
will also be usable with new data.
We should point out
that the Government of the Republic of Slovenia or the Ministry
is not the institution we could turn to for all problems.
With financial optimisation and efficient operations
we will have to shoulder some of this burden,
which is also represented by the social distress of some in Maribor.
Thank you very much.
Any more questions, Mr Dejan?
I would like to ask Mr Novak.
Information for residents of Maribor.
How much of a percentage increase will there be based on these numbers?
Compared to the bill...
If we did not adopt the regulation,
this increase would be 63% compared to December 2022.
Now the amount will increase by 22%.
We will make and announce the final calculations by the end of this week.
Thank you very much. Ema Čepon, Pop TV.
Regarding wood pellets. You say part of the cost will be reimbursed.
How will it be determined who is entitled to reimbursement?
The application for reimbursement eligibility
will have to contain at least two supporting documents.
The beneficiary will have to prove the installation of the device
and provide a bill
which must be dated for the period defined in the law.
From September 1 to December 31.
In addition to all other personal data, address, etc.
No more questions. Thank you and have a nice day. Goodbye.
Thank you very much.