Serbia’s strategic commitment is to diversify the sources and directions of natural gas supply, said today the Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlovic at the Seventh Ministerial Meeting of the Advisory Council of the Southern Gas Corridor (SGC Advisory Council), held online.
She also pointed out that Serbia is ready to be an active participant in regional and international initiatives and projects to increase energy security in Southeast Europe.
“Due to its geographical position, Serbia has the potential to be not only an importer of natural gas, but also to actively contribute to the energy security of the region and participate in the regional energy market through the accelerated development of transport and storage capacities,” Mihajlovic said.
It therefore specified the planned connection of the gas pipeline system of Serbia with the systems in neighboring Bulgaria, Romania, Croatia, Northern Macedonia, BiH, Montenegro, which would enable the delivery of natural gas from other directions and from other suppliers, and greater energy security and the possibility of faster economic development of the whole region.
Mihajlovic emphasized that Serbia has provided diversification of supply routes by putting the “Balkan Stream” gas pipeline into operation since January 1, followed by diversification of suppliers, which only guarantees energy security.
“The first project that will enable connection with other natural gas suppliers is the construction of the gas interconnection Serbia-Bulgaria. The planned capacity of the Nis-Dimitrovgrad gas pipeline is 1.8 billion cubic meters, and the value of the investment on the territory of Serbia is 85.5 million euros,” the minister said, adding that the plan is for works to begin this year and for the pipeline to be operational by 2023.
“This gas pipeline is important because it will enable connection with other gas routes and other suppliers, primarily with gas pipelines on the route of the Southern Gas Corridor – TANAP and TAP gas pipelines, with LNG terminals in Greece, and after the Eastern Mediterranean project, supply from the fields of Leviathan, that is, Cyprus and Israel,” stated Mihajlovic.
“I believe that together, through cooperation and connecting countries from the Balkans to the Middle East and the Caspian region, through the involvement of the private sector and with the support of international financial institutions, we can make significant strides in ensuring greater security and stability of natural gas supply,” Mihajlovic concluded.
