Djedovic Handanovic meets with World Bank delegation

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic met on Friday with a World Bank delegation headed by Regional Director for Infrastructure for Europe and Central Asia Charles Cormier.

The minister said diversification of supply sources and routes, as well as strengthening energy security with new state-owned capacities of renewable energy sources remained the priorities for further development of the energy sector.

Djedovic Handanovic and Cormier discussed funding for infrastructure projects in the energy sector, an official statement said.

"Two years ago, we began a diversification of the gas sector by building a Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnection, through which we are getting gas from Azerbaijan, and we also have access to the TAP and TANAP gas pipelines. Right now, we are preparing the technical documentation for gas interconnections with North Macedonia and Romania - we continue to work on expanding the possibilities for energy supplies to our country from various directions. We are also finishing an unbundling in the gas sector, which is a part of the reform agenda we are carrying out on the EU path," she said.

Djedovic Handanovic said a spatial plan had been adopted for a gas interconnection with North Macedonia and that, as part of technical assistance from the Western Balkans Investment Fund, a feasibility study with a cost-and-benefit analysis, as well as an environmental impact assessment study, had been prepared for the project.

The construction of the pipeline will ensure a connection to the Southern Gas Corridor and transfer of gas from Greece via North Macedonia to Serbia and then further towards Europe, the statement said.

Technical documentation for a Serbia-Romania gas interconnection, on which a MoU has been signed by the relevant ministries of the two countries, is under preparation.

"Both gas pipelines are expected to be completed within two years," Djedovic Handanovic said.