Djedovic Handanovic: Serbia preparing gas interconnector projects with Romania, N Macedonia

BELGRADE - Serbia's Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Friday projects to build gas interconnectors with Romania and North Macedonia were under preparation and noted that having alternative oil and gas supply routes was important for Serbia.

Speaking to Tanjug, Djedovic Handanovic said the joint gas pipelines with Romania and North Macedonia could be completed within two and a half years and three to three and a half years, respectively.

She noted that Serbia was conducting an independent energy policy aimed at ensuring the best supply conditions to businesses and small consumers.

"Whether it is gas or oil, we need to have additional alternative energy supply routes, which gives us greater security as well as better conditions for price negotiations," she said.

The minister noted that inter-governmental memorandums on cooperation had been signed with Romania and North Macedonia last year to build new gas interconnectors.

"Those plans have now been made concrete by the signing of technical agreements between gas companies (in late June) - Srbijagas on one side and Romania's Transgas and North Macedonia's NOMAGAS on the other side, respectively, whereby we have practically taken a step further towards implementing our goals of making infrastructural connections through gas interconnections," Djedovic Handanovic said.