The European Union (EU) is determined to free itself of dependence on Russian gas as soon as possible and, as it has been pointed out to Kurir in Brussels, it is what it expects from Serbia as an EU membership candidate as well. Our country does receive concrete help from the EU in this endeavour, according to Brussels.

Russia an unreliable supplier

"The EU has made it clear that reducing our dependence on importing fossil fuels from Russia is an urgent imperative. Its latest actions are yet another reminder of Russia's unreliability as an energy supplier," Spokesperson for the European Commission (EC) Peter Stano said for Kurir, adding:

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"The EU is helping Serbia reduce its energy dependence on Russia. All the candidate countries, including Serbia, are expected to fully align with the EU legislation and political priorities, including those from the REPowerEU plan. At the most recent European Council meeting in May, the European leaders provided political guidelines for the continuation of our work on the REPowerEU plan, aimed at gradually making the EU independent from Russian fossil fuels as soon as possible. As part of the economic and investment plan for the Western Balkans, we have been strengthening our support in the area of energy security by investing in energy efficiency, renewable energy sources, and the construction and rehabilitation of the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor. The aim here is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and help partners to better integrate the energy grid and access energy from multiple sources."

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Large grant

According to Stano, Serbia has received a grant of nearly 50 million euros for the purposes of energy diversification.

"As regards energy diversification and supply routes, the EU is financing Serbia's most important project by means of a grant of 49.6 million euros – in the present circumstances, in order to ensure energy security – the construction of the Serbia-Bulgaria gas interconnector, which is a physical requirement for opening up the Serbian gas market to non-Russian gas sources. Another large-scale project funded by the EU as part of the EU Economic and Investment Plan for the Western Balkans includes the Trans-Balkan Electricity Corridor through Serbia, as well as preparing a new gas interconnector with North Macedonia, for which technical aid has been secured now. More support for energy efficiency and renewable energy sources projects is also under way. We are liaising with the Energy Community Secretariat as well in order to monitor the situation regarding prices and supply security in the region. Moreover, together with the other partners from the Western Balkans, Serbia has been invited to participate in the new energy platform established by the EU to make joint gas purchases," Stano noted.

What is REPowerEU – a package worth 300 billion euros

No Russian energy sources from 2027 on at the latest

In May the European Commission presented the REPowerEU plan as a response to the difficulties and disruptions that the Russian invasion of Ukraine had caused in the global energy market. The plan – which covers issues of logistics, energy saving, reduction of emissions, and renewable energy sources – envisages the end of dependence on Russian energy sources by 2027. REPowerEU is comprised of a package of nearly 300 billion euros and includes a more efficient use of fuels and a faster introduction of energy from renewable sources.

Prior to the invasion of Ukraine, Russia used to deliver app. 155 billion cubic meters of gas to the EU annually. According to some estimates, by reducing the imports of Russian fossil fuels, the Union can save up to 100 billion euros per year.

B. Karović