Kosovo renews its ban on cryptocurrency mining following rising energy prices

The Kosovo government has taken steps to maintain energy supply in the coming months, including a ban on cryptocurrency mining. The move comes following the sharp rise in import prices and the restrictions can be extended for up to six months.

Kosovo authorities reintroduce cryptocurrency mining ban

Kosovo's executive power has approved some measures to ensure sufficient energy supplies for homes and businesses in the coming weeks and months. The Tass news agency reports that the related decree was published by the Pristina government this week.

The measures taken by the cabinet of ministers include helping families to meet their heating needs, support for the national grid operator to ensure the security of electricity distribution and efforts to reduce consumption by all households. institutions.

A ban on the use of electricity for the production of digital currency is also a necessary measure. Energy-starved industrial activity was halted for the first time last winter, when the partially recognized republic in southeastern Europe found itself facing an energy shortage.

The government explained that it is introducing "emergency measures" in relation to the current global energy situation, in particular the sharp increase in energy import rates from Kosovo and the possible ban on the export of fossil materials from some European countries. The latter could lead to a further increase in prices.

Protect the public interest? Mah!

In a statement, the Kosovar authorities reiterated that their main motivation is not only to ensure a sufficient energy supply during the winter, but also to protect the public interest. The measures, including a ban on mining, have been imposed for an initial period of two months, but ministers will be able to extend them up to 180 days with a majority vote.

In addition to suspending cryptocurrency mining last year, the government prosecuted illegal mining facility operators, seizing the hardware in a series of police raids, including hundreds of crypto coin minting devices. clandestine farm.

The crackdown threatened to increase ethnic tensions in the small country, as the Albanian-led central government targeted Serb-dominated regions in the north, where consumers have refused to pay their electricity bills for more than two decades because they do not recognize Pristina's authority.