A company led by the brother of Luan Dalipi, the chief of staff to Kosovo’s acting Prime Minister Albin Kurti, has applied for a licence to supply electricity in the country, days before energy market reforms take effect.

The application came amid calls by the government for businesses to participate in the liberalised energy market, and has provoked reactions from the business sector.

According to the regulator’s public register, the company Management & Development Associates L.L.C (MDA), led by Driton Dalipi, submitted its application for an electricity supply licence to the Energy Regulatory Office, ERO, on May 27, 2025.

At a press conference on Friday, Abelard Tahiri, an MP for the Democratic Party of Kosovo, PDK, denounced the company.

“Luan Dalipi is the founder and he was also the owner of this company. So, the company of the Prime Minister’s chief of staff, now headed by Driton Dalipi (his brother), has applied for a licence to supply electricity in our country,” Tahiri said.

A business registry search by KALLXO.com confirms that MDA has been officially registered with the Kosovo Business Registration Agency, ARBK, as a limited liability company in the name of Driton Dalipi since January 9, 2004. 

In response to the allegations, Luan Dalipi issued a public statement admitting his brother’s company applied for a license to supply energy.

“Driton is not a minister, a government advisor,  or even a security guard, he is simply a free citizen who, after 20 successful years in business, decided to try his luck in the liberalised energy market about a year ago—like any other person. He applied legally, just like any normal individual would,” he wrote in a Facebook post.

Dalipi also denied any claim that his public service role should extend to his family.

“I have served this government with dignity and dedication for four years. That does not mean that my entire family is part of the government, nor should they be judged for their familial ties with me,” he added.

In response to reports published in the media concerning the ownership of the company and its political affiliations, Management & Development Associates (MDA) published a clarification about their application for a license to supply energy.

“MDA applied for a licence to supply electricity in accordance with the procedures and requirements of the Energy Regulatory Office. The application concerns the provision of electricity supply services for commercial clients. MDA will operate under the same market rules as any other licensed supplier,” reads their clarification.

“The statements made by Mr. Abelard Tahiri are unfounded. MDA is a private company with over 20 years of experience in the field of professional consulting and is not part of politically motivated media spectacles,” the company added.

According to Luan Dalipi’s 2024 asset declaration, he holds no shares in MDA. However, the 2021 asset declaration lists him as the company’s founder.

Luan Dalipi was appointed as chief of staff and senior advisor to Prime Minister Kurti on February 21, 2020.

The ERO has ruled that, starting June 1, 2025, large businesses must exit the regulated electricity pricing system and secure supply contracts independently in the open market.

According to the ruling from April 2025, companies with more than 50 employees or an annual turnover exceeding 10 million euros will no longer be eligible for regulated tariffs. Failure to secure a contract with a licensed supplier will result in automatic transfer to the “Supplier of Last Resort,” currently the Kosovo Energy Corporation KEK,  which provides electricity at significantly higher unregulated prices.

To protest the energy liberalisation, several major entry points to Prishtina were temporarily blocked for two hours on Thursday morning. The demonstrations, organised by the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce, demanded the liberalisation be postponed, warning of its potentially damaging impact on the industrial sector.

Business leaders argue the market is not yet mature enough, emphasising a lack of competition and diversity among suppliers. They warned this could result in a monopoly, which would lead to higher energy prices and financial instability for businesses.