The petroleum products company Exfis submitted a request to the Kosovo Privatization Agency to lease several sales points, but Exfis „misunderstood“ this to mean they could start branding the gas station in North Mitrovica, according to a PAK announcement. This followed detailed media reports about the logo change on the former NIS station, the covering of the company’s logo with white foil, and its eventual removal. Meanwhile, the competition announced by the Privatization Agency of Kosovo specifies that bids for the recently closed gas stations in northern Kosovo will be collected on August 9, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., with the bids to be opened 15 minutes later.
Two weeks ago, the Kosovo Market Surveillance Inspection closed three gas stations: the NIS station in North Mitrovica and two in Zubin Potok. Two more stations in Zvečan and Leposavić—one of which is also owned by NIS—were temporarily closed. In total, 15 gas stations were inspected.
The gas stations were closed for operating without a license. The Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Trade confirmed that the two temporarily closed stations were also not taxed. This situation violated the lease agreements with the Agency and the Law on Trade in Petroleum Products and Renewable Fuels, leading to the termination of these lease contracts.
PAK: Tenants in PAK-managed Buildings Operated Without Licenses
Despite the fact that two of the gas stations were only “temporarily closed,” PAK announced a tender on Friday for the lease of all five stations. They clarified that these facilities were already under their management and had been leased. Furthermore, they noted that “in recent days,” they received information indicating that the tenants of the gas stations managed by PAK in North Mitrovica and Zubin Potok were operating without licenses.
The agency did not explain how lease agreements with unlicensed firms were made or how long these companies had been operating without a license.
Given that these gas stations have been operating in the north for years, PAK did not specify how they “received information in the last few days” about the unlicensed operations.
PAK confirmed again that the first three gas stations lacked a license from the Ministry of Industry, Entrepreneurship, and Trade, while two were not even taxed. This violated the lease agreement and the relevant laws, prompting PAK to terminate the lease contracts.
PAK Offers Five Gas Stations for Lease, Bids Due on August 9
On July 26, the Privatization Agency of Kosovo put five gas stations in North Mitrovica, Zubin Potok, Leposavić, and Zvečan up for lease. According to the competition terms, bids can be submitted on August 9, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m., with the envelopes to be opened 15 minutes later, at 12:15 p.m.
Exfis at NIS Gas Station?
On the same day that PAK announced the competition for leasing the five gas stations, Exfis’s logo was already installed at the gas pump in North Mitrovica. The sign was soon covered with white foil and likely removed the next day.
Exfis, a Pristina-based limited liability company, operates a chain of gas stations across Kosovo. Some Albanian media have reported that Exfis is allegedly the “financier” of Self-Determination.
PAK: There Was a Mix-Up
After extensive media coverage of the NIS-Exfis gas station issue, PAK issued a statement today, although it did not directly respond to last week’s inquiry.
In the statement, PAK reiterated that they “received information” about tenants operating without permits and paying taxes. They noted that three gas stations were inspected on July 16, two more on July 22, leading to the termination of contracts and the announcement of a new lease tender.
PAK explained the situation regarding Exfis: „The Privatization Agency received an official request from Exfis to lease several sales points directly, and during the submission of this request, it was mistakenly understood that branding of the sales point could continue,“ the agency stated in its latest press release.
Once PAK learned of the issue, they clarified the misunderstanding with Exfis, which then removed all logos. They emphasized that the five facilities had not yet been leased and were vacant.
Unanswered Questions
KoSSev submitted the following questions to PAK regarding the competition:
– How did Exfis submit a request to PAK before the competition was announced?
– How could PAK accept Exfis’s request when the competition documentation specified that bids would be accepted on August 9 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.?
– Why did a reputable company submit a request before the competition was announced?
– How did a company simultaneously submit a request and enter the premises?
No response had been received by the time this news was published.
Djurić (in the past): Gas Station Has Permits and Licensed Partner
On December 15, 2016, during the opening of the NIS gas station in North Mitrovica, then-Head of the Kosovo Office, Marko Djurić, stated that “the NIS pump has all the necessary work licenses in both systems,” „pays taxes“, and operates in Kosovo with the licensed partner “SEKOS.”
“Contrary to what the Pristina institutions claim, the business is legal. I am personally pleased that traffic will increase, and many of our people who have been unemployed for 16-17 years will now have jobs. This marks a step towards the revival of economic life. We are proud to see the NIS brand in Kosovo and Metohija after 17 years,” Djurić said in 2016.
The recently installed Exfis logo has been removed from the former NIS gas station in Mitrovica
Preuzimanje i objavljivanje tekstova sa portala KoSSev nije dozvoljeno bez navođenja izvora. Hvala na poštovanju etike novinarske profesije.
