In northern Mitrovica, a new marker on Google Maps identifies te newly closed chief gas station named as Exfis. The tender process for leasing this pump, recently closed by the Kosovo authorities, is now underway. Offers will be accepted tomorrow from 10 AM to 12 PM.
The former NIS station is one of five gas stations in Northern Kosovo shut down due to a lack of business licenses. On July 16, the Kosovo Privatization Agency, in collaboration with the police, closed three gas stations, followed by two more on July 22, across the municipalities of North Mitrovica, Zvečan, Leposavić, and Zubin Potok.
Just days after these closures, on July 26, the Kosovo Privatization Agency announced that all five closed gas stations would be available for lease. According to the tender terms, submissions will be accepted on August 9 from 10 AM to 12 PM, with the envelopes containing the offers to be opened at 12:15 PM on the same day.
Is the name of the company known before receiving the offers?
On the day the Kosovo Privatization Agency announced the tender, a sign for the company Exfis, which deals in petroleum products, was already displayed at the gas station in northern Mitrovica. Shortly afterward, media reports indicated that the sign was covered with white foil, and the next day, all Exfis markings were removed.
The Kosovo Privatization Agency clarified that Exfis had submitted a request to lease several gas stations but had „misunderstood“ the procedure. This led them to begin branding the station in northern Mitrovica before the lease was officially approved. The agency has promised a thorough investigation into the matter.
Exfis, a Pristina-based limited liability company, operates a chain of gas stations across Kosovo. According to media reports in Pristina, Exfis is allegedly a supporter of the Self-Determination Movement (Vetevendosje).
Despite coverage by various media outlets, the Kosovo Privatization Agency has yet to respond to an inquiry from KoSSev regarding the nature of this misunderstanding. It remains unclear how a reputable company could misinterpret a lease request as permission to occupy the station, and how the agency could accept lease offers before the tender was officially opened.
The Exfis branding at the former NIS gas station was initially covered with white foil and then removed. However, the controversy has left a mark, as evidenced by the new Google Maps marker in northern Mitrovica.
FOTO: KoSSev
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
