Deputy PM says Serbia wants to cut energy dependence from Russia

BELGRADE, Apr 15 (PRIME) -- Serbia hopes to start receiving liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Greece from September 2023 and natural gas from Azerbaijan to reduce energy dependence from Russia, Deputy Prime Minister and Mining and Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said late on Thursday.

“Serbia is still dependent on a sole supplier. We have two routs of gas supplies (through Hungary and Bulgaria), but we depend on Russia. Our interconnection (pipeline) with Bulgaria, which will be ready next year, will provide negotiations to receive LNG from Greece from September 2023 and to connect with Azerbaijan to reduce our dependence,” she said.

“We cannot predict the price for the gas as there are tectonic shifts on the markets and also there is a question, which price we will receive from (Russian gas giant) Gazprom, but it will not remain the same,” she added.

The current Gazprom’s supply agreement with Serbia envisages a price of U.S. $270 per 1,000 square meters of gas and expires on May 31.

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