The World Bank has expressed its readiness to support projects in Serbia's gas sector, Report informs.
The move was announced at a meeting between a World Bank delegation led by Stephanie Gil, practice manager for Europe and Central Asia, and Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Dedović Handanović.
During the meeting, a new multi-year support package for Serbia's energy sector was discussed.
The program is expected to finance the development of gas infrastructure, as well as continued investments in energy efficiency.
According to Dedović Handanović, the new program will be implemented in several stages:
"The first stage involves the construction of a gas pipeline between Niš and the Velika Plana region, as well as the preparation of technical documentation for subsequent projects. These include the construction of the Mokrin-Belgrade gas pipeline, the creation of new gas storage facilities, and the associated infrastructure. Our main goal is to complete the construction of two new gas interconnectors with North Macedonia and Romania within the next two years. This is important for supply diversification and increased energy security. The World Bank program will also address bottlenecks in the domestic network that affect uninterrupted gas transportation," she noted.
The parties also discussed the possibility of incorporating hydrogen transportation into the development of gas infrastructure, which would allow for more flexible use of the infrastructure during the energy transition.
World Bank representatives confirmed their readiness to support the implementation of Serbia's priority energy projects, primarily in the gas sector, emphasizing that the country has significant potential and can serve as an example for other countries in the region.