Djedovic Handanovic: Serbia has preserved its energy stability

BELGRADE - In spite of all challenges it has faced amid the energy crisis, Serbia has succeeded in preserving its energy stability and continuing the development of its energy sector in line with strategic objectives, Serbia's caretaker Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic said on Wednesday.

Opening a Serbian National Energy Committee-WPC Energy workshop on the global outlook of the energy sector, hosted by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, Djedovic Handanovic said that, under strategic documents and, especially, a new development strategy for the energy sector, Serbia must decarbonise the sector by 2050 while ensuring sufficient quantities of energy, preserving the stability of energy supplies and raising its energy security, the Ministry of Mining and Energy said in a statement.

"The electricity price in Serbia is still among the lowest in Europe, and the progress we have achieved in the past several years has also been recognised by the European Commission as well as other international partners," she said.

She noted that Serbia had 20 years' worth of catching up to do when it comes to investments in the energy sector and was determined to continue to invest in all strategic facilities.

She said investments that would be necessary in the next ten years totalled an estimated 14 bln euros.

"Intensive investing is important not only for the sake of catching up, but also for the sake of keeping up with global trends and boosting our energy security, which means accelerated development of renewable energy sources, a stronger transmission grid, a more reliable distribution system, new gas and oil pipelines, as well as a potential new refinery," Djedovic Handanovic said.