Djedovic Handanovic, Djokic discuss cooperation in energy, mining

BANJALUKA - Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic met with Republika Srpska Minister of Energy Petar Djokic in Banjaluka on Thursday to discuss deepening of cooperation in mining and energy.

In a statement, the Serbian Ministry of Mining and Energy said the two ministers had agreed to continue to share experiences and practices when it comes to implementing EU directives and regulations, in particular those that were being implemented through the Energy Community.

"At the All-Serbian Assembly, energy was also recognised as a crucial area for further cooperation and we will work on forging even stronger ties between Serbia and Republika Srpska in the energy and mining sectors. To make further steps more concrete, we have prepared a road map for advancement of bilateral Serbia-Republika Srpska cooperation that also includes cooperation on strategic projects," Djedovic-Handanovic said.

She said the cooperation would be bolstered by better ties to be established through gas pipelines and hydropower plants and implementation of joint projects.

"By helping each other and utilising the joint potentials we can overcome the challenges we face in the energy sector in terms of decarbonisation and energy transition," she said.

Djedovic Handanovic, who is on an official visit to Banjaluka, noted that an agreement had been reached at a previous meeting to renew the work of a joint Serbia-Republika Srpska committee on energy.

"We also discussed implementation of projects that have been launched, the most important one being the construction of the Buk Bijela hydropower plant," she said.

She said talks about the project were underway with Montenegro to complete all the studies required for it to be continued.

Djedovic Handanovic also said an agreement had been reached to step up cooperation between energy companies in Serbia and Republika Srpska, which she noted was important for new joint projects in the renewables sector, improvements to the power grid and greater security of electricity and gas supplies.