The Kosovo Police has shut down over 300 "Antminer" crypto mining systems, working in Leposavic and Prishtina, to preserve electricity.
According to an official report by the Kosovo Police, in an attempt to minimize electricity usage across the nation, the government has put its foot down on crypto miners.
On January 8th, the police confiscated a total of 311 Antminer rigs in Leposavic and Prishtina. Likewise, another 6 pieces of crypto mining equipment were retrieved from a driver in Vushtrri.
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The cut down on crypto mining in Kosovo started in early January after the decision was made by Kosovo’s Minister of Economy Artane Rizvanolli, in accordance with the Technical Committee on Emergency Measures for Energy Supply.
On January 1st, in an interview with GazetaExpress, Rizvanolli told reporters that the police will be called into action to put a stop to any crypto mining activities, stating:
These actions are aimed at addressing potential unexpected or long term lack of electricity production capacities, capacities of transmission or distribution of energy in order to overcome the energy crisis without further burdening the citizens of the Republic of Kosovo…
Crypto mining in Northern Kosovo has been booming due to citizens in the territory having access to free electricity since 1999. However, in the past few months, the decision was revoked due to an ongoing energy crisis in the territory, and in an attempt to save electricity for the winter.
Similarly, at the end of December last year, the government of Iran paused all cryptocurrency mining activities in order to save fuel for district heating, and reduce power outages across the country.
