Serbia, Hungary committed to cooperation in energy

BELGRADE - After a meeting in Belgrade, Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic and Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto confirmed their countries' commitment to a partnership in further development of cooperation in multiple fields of the energy sector.

At a press conference, Djedovic and Szijjarto noted the significance of the construction of a gas interconnection between Serbia and Bulgaria, which will also provide to Hungary an option to get gas from Azerbaijan.

Djedovic said Serbia would work on strengthening its energy infrastructure, and noted the significance of plans to build a Pannonian Power Transmission Corridor.

She also highlighted the significance of diversifying oil supplies by building an oil pipeline to Hungary, with preparations for this already underway.

Responding to questions from reporters, Djedovic said the situation in Turkey following the devastating earthquakes was being monitored closely also due to the situation with a gas pipeline, and added that significant gas reserves were available at storage facilities in Serbia and Hungary.

Szijjarto said joint efforts were underway to double by 2028 the quantity of power transmitted between Serbia and Hungary, and added that cooperation was also possible regarding Hungary's PAKS 2 and PAKS 3 nuclear power plants, due to start operating after 2030.

He said bilateral cooperation in the energy sector was excellent and that Hungary was able to purchase and store 500 mln cubic m of gas for Serbia, as it had in 2022.