Vucic: EU Energy Council decisions not great, we will seek - and find - solution

BUDAPEST - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Monday in Budapest the EU Energy Council's decisions to phase out Russian oil and gas imports were "not great" and that he had discussed the consequences with Hungarian PM Viktor Orban, and noted that, even though Serbia was in a difficult situation, it would seek - and find - a solution and that people needed not worry.

"Even if we build everything (new gas interconnectors), I do not know how we can get so much gas unless it is Russian, and even if we do all that, the question arises of how we will compensate for a price that will be 30-40 pct higher," Vucic told reporters after a meeting with Orban, adding that the issue of oil and gas also affected electricity supplies in Serbia.

He said that, after an October 23 holiday in Hungary, Orban would visit Brussels, where new decisions were due to be made.

He said the discussion with Orban had addressed countless problems even though Hungary was in a slightly better position than Serbia as it had interconnectors with Romania, Austria and Slovakia.

"We will discuss everything in the coming days and solve problems, people need not panic, but it will not be easy," Vucic said.

"In any case, we will seek - and find - a solution, people need not worry," he added.