Djedovic Handanovic: World Bank interested in broader support programme for Serbian gas sector

BELGRADE - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic met with a World Bank delegation on Wednesday, and announced that the World Bank was interested in a broader programme aimed at supporting the Serbian gas sector.

The minister and the World Bank delegation, led by Stephanie Gil, practice manager for the Europe and Central Asia region, discussed the support programme and funding for energy sector projects, focusing on the gas sector and energy efficiency, the Ministry of Mining and Energy said in a statement.

"The World Bank is interested in a broader support programme for the gas sector, as part of which we could ensure phased funding for building gas interconnections, for strengthening the existing gas infrastructure within the country, as well as for building new storage capacities," Djedovic Handanovic said.

She added that technical support for development of projects that were in the preparatory stage had been discussed as well.

"We consider gas to be a long-term transitional fuel on the path to decarbonisation as it represents base energy, and it is necessary that we build infrastructure to accomplish the objectives defined by strategic documents," Djedovic Handanovic said.

She added that priority energy infrastructure projects had been outlined in the updated starting foundations of an energy infrastructure development plan, adopted by the Serbian government last year.

"Our focus in the gas sector is now on building a gas interconnector with North Macedonia, for which we have prepared a feasibility study, with both our and the Macedonian stretch financed by EU funds. By building the interconnector, we will open another alternative gas supply route," Djedovic Handanovic said.

She noted that Serbia intended to continue the Scaling-Up Residential Clean Energy (SURCE) project, which is being carried out successfully with the World Bank to subsidise energy efficiency measures for households.