The elderly suffer from the cold / Retired couple: We heat with gas, energy is expensive

The elderly couple from Tirana, Ibrahimi and Bardha say that this year heating is costing them dearly as the price of gas has doubled. To save money during the day they heat with gas, while at night they find salvation in hot water bags.

Ibrahim Tabakaj: Not now, but even before we were heated by gas, for the reason that gas has been even cheaper than electricity. As retirees, we are better off with gas than electricity.

Question: Do you have air conditioning at home?

Bardha Tabakaj: Yes, we have an air conditioner, but we only turn it on in the spring because now it consumes a lot of energy and does not heat enough. When we have gas heating for many years, it only tells me to heat the kitchen and not the rest of the house.

Question: Use gas in the kitchen to heat yourself, but what do you use to heat the other rooms?

Bardha Tabakaj: Ah, I have a bag I fill with warm water I put under the quilt I leave it there for an hour and then I go to bed.

Question: The price of gas has changed, how much does a canister cost?

Ibrahim Tabakaj: A gas cylinder for this heater costs me 15,000 old lekë and I spend it for 7-8 days. I want 4 of these per month.

Question: So you only spend 60,000 thousand old Lekë for heating?

Ibrahim Tabakaj: This is how the whole month goes for us.

Bardha says that her pension of 190 thousand Lekë is not enough for medicine and food, but it is Ibrahim’s pension that regulates the economic situation at home. The duty as an officer and Lieutenant Colonel has provided him with a good pension, in total he receives 370 thousand Lekë per month. The Tabaj couple say that thanks to this pension they live better than their peers.

Question: What do your peers use to warm themselves?

Ibrahim Tabakaj: Eh they stay out more, the deserters say they have a reflector and only turn it on for an hour a day, as they can not afford it.

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