Djedovic Handanovic: Our goal is new long-term gas deal with Russia

BELGRADE - Serbia's Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Tuesday Serbia maintained daily contact with Russia about a new natural gas arrangement and noted that the goal was to secure a deal longer than three years.

"The (current) long-term agreement expires on May 31 and we are working on getting everything agreed by that date. We maintain good, daily contact with the Russian Federation, so we will find a solution. Our goal is for the deal to be longer than three years. Some countries, like Hungary, have ten-year agreements," Djedovic Handanovic said on Happy TV.

She said Serbia needed flexibility when it comes to natural gas supplies as consumption was much higher in the winter months than during the summer.

"So, we expect the supplies to be up to about 12 mln cubic metres a day and, perhaps, that we will increase those quantities from about 2 bln to 2.5 bln a year and, of course, the price will be discussed as well," she said, adding that, to date, Serbia had been buying Russian gas at the most favourable prices possible.

Djedovic Handanovic also said a recent meeting between the presidents of Serbia and Russia in Moscow would make the technical part of the work on a new long-term gas deal easier.