Russia’s attack on Ukraine has underscored the importance of energy independence because “resources have become weaponised,” the chief of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Emanuele Giaufret, has said, adding that the bloc would work on overcoming these challenges together with Western Balkan countries.
“We must ask in which way will Russia’s aggression affect the economy, i.e. gas exports towards Europe? The issue of diversification of energy resources has arisen, because it has turned out that even resources, i.e. energy, had become one of the most significant weapons,” Giaufret has stated.
Speaking in Belgrade at the conference “Circular Economy, Employment and Digitalisation in the light of the Conference on the Future of Europe,” he stated that it was important to prepare for all possible risks and that the EU wished to secure the supply of energy. “We will also work with Western Balkan countries in order to overcome these risks,” Giaufret said.
Serbian Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlović said Thursday in the southern city of Niš that the gas supply via Bulgaria was flowing as usual and that the government had prepared a contingency plan if it was suspended due to the war in Ukraine. The completion of the Niš-Dimitrovgrad gas interconnector would solidify the gas supply, she added.
“As for the gas supply via the Balkan Stream, everything is flowing as usual, with no signs that it could change, because it’s not only about Serbia, but other states, too, getting gas from that direction. If problems occur, though, we have a few options. One is to import gas from Hungary, the other is to use our own storage in Banatski Dvor, where our own reserves are stored, along with Gazprom’s. The third opportunity is the substation, which we did in 2009,” the minister explained.
