Deputy Prime Minister of the Government of Serbia and Minister of Mining and Energy, Prof. Zorana Mihajlovic, PhD, said that the state is doing everything to provide enough energy for the winter and that, according to everything we have, no shortages or restrictions are expected.
“The whole of Europe and the world are preparing for winter, and so are we. We are committed to providing sufficient quantities of crude oil, petroleum products, coal, electricity. We already have serious quantities of gasoline, LPG, fuel oil, kerosene in reserves, and we will work on raising the reserves of oil and oil derivatives to 90 days, although that is not an obligation. According to everything we have at our disposal and everything we have set aside as a state, I do not expect that there will be a shortage or restriction”, said Mihajlovic as a guest on TV K1.
She added that the sixth package of EU sanctions gives the Russian Federation a period of six months for crude oil and eight months for petroleum products, so that countries find a way to ensure the supply of oil and derivatives of other origins than Russia.
“Until now, NIS has not only procured Russian oil, but also oil from Iraq and other countries. It is certain that it will cost us financially, because other countries will have to reorient themselves, which will increase demand and prices will go up. “But whatever happens, our task is to provide our country with everything we need,” she said.
When it comes to gas supply, Mihajlovic said that thanks to the agreement between the two presidents, Serbia has provided 2.2 billion cubic meters of gas a year from Russia, and that it consumes about three billion cubic meters of gas a year.
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“The difference will be provided partly from the gas storage in Hungary, partly from the gas storage in Banatski Dvor, and next year we will have the opportunity to get about 40 percent of the gas through the Nis-Dimitrovgrad gas pipeline.” We expect it to be primarily gas from Azerbaijan, and talks are already underway to reserve capacities for the moment when the construction of that gas pipeline is completed, “Deputy Prime Minister explained.
As for EPS, Mihajlovic said that EPS is currently importing a part of electricity consumption and that the state has enabled that company to import the missing coal until it raises its own production to the required level.
“We will have to spend probably a billion euros by the end of the year for the import of electricity and coal just because someone did not do their job.” “With everything that EPS is now investing and undertaking, primarily in the mines, we should have the production of electricity at the beginning of 2024, which can cover our needs,” said Mihajlovic.
Source: Ministry of mining and energy
