Serbia’s high dependence on Russian gas is largely the result of political choices, not technical limitations. Although the country has infrastructure capable of supporting diversified supply routes, it continues to rely heavily on Russian gas due to longstanding political alignments and strategic considerations. Unofficial diplomatic sources suggest that political pressure is at play, as the long-term gas contract between Srbijagas and Gazprom has been delayed and possibly conditioned on Serbia halting arms deliveries to Ukraine.
Serbia has a gas infrastructure network that is significantly larger than its needs, providing multiple options for supply from various sources, including potential routes from Hungary, Romania and Croatia. Romania, in particular, offers strong potential for gas cooperation, with high production, advanced infrastructure, and surplus capacity, yet a direct gas connection with Serbia has not yet been realized despite being prioritized as far back as 2002.
Efforts to diversify are ongoing. Serbia has completed a gas interconnector with Bulgaria, enabling imports of Azerbaijani gas, which now covers less than 15% of Serbia’s total needs. A gas interconnection with Romania is also planned, with technical documentation underway and an estimated cost of 12 million euros. Additionally, a connection with North Macedonia is in development, which will link Serbia to the Southern Gas Corridor and the LNG terminal in Greece. This project is designed to support future hydrogen transport and is valued at 45 million euros.
Despite this infrastructure expansion, domestic gas use remains inefficient. Consumption is heavily concentrated in winter and largely used for heating, which contributes little to economic output. Serbia lacks significant industrial or transportation uses for gas that would increase energy efficiency and economic return. Energy expert Aleksandar Kovačević points out that the irrational use of gas, combined with declining domestic production, leads to increasing import dependency that could be mitigated with better resource management and use of alternatives like biomass and thermal energy.
In conclusion, Serbia’s energy dependency is more political than technical, and while diversification projects are in motion, their full potential remains underutilized. With strategic planning and better resource use, Serbia could reduce its reliance on Russian gas significantly.
