Djedovic Handanovic speaks after energy stability teams meeting: "Situation is increasingly complex"

President of Serbia Aleksandar Vucic met today with the teams responsible for the country's energy stability and security.

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The meeting in the building of the General Secretariat of the President of the Republic in Belgrade and was attended by Prime Minister of Serbia Djuro Macut, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Sinisa Mali, Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, Minister of Foreign Affairs Marko Djuric, Minister of Defense Bratislav Gasic and Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs Milica Djurdjevic Stamenkovski, as well as representatives of the energy sector, National Bank of Serbia Governor Jorgovanka Tabakovic and other representatives of state institutions and companies.

After the meeting, Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic addressed the public.

"We discussed the situation in the oil sector, which is increasingly complex. We have been informing the public regularly and transparently, we never hid anything. We are aware that people feel problems in the financial sector. Also, a large number of legal entities have already either switched to a new supplier or are looking for an alternative, that is clear to us. What the citizens should have no doubt about is that the state will do everything to preserve supply stability, to preserve energy stability. This is how we have behaved until now," said Minister Djedovic Handanovic.

She recalled that this is the 60th day since the US imposed sanctions against NIS (Petroleum Industry of Serbia) and that since then there has been no inflow of crude oil to the Pancevo refinery.

"This wasn't felt on market, nor by the citizens. That is a great victory for the state in the sense that we have prepared well, but also that the citizens have trust with their state," said Djedovic Handanovic.

She thanked the citizens and pointed out that they can be sure that the state is doing everything, that all institutions are engaged.

"However, the situation is not easy. It is complex and increasingly so, and the problems are piling up," said the minister.

She listed 51 places in Serbia that do not have an alternative supply.

"These are Zitkovac near Aleksinac, Pivnice near Backa Palanka, Silbas near Backa Palanka, Backo Petrovo near Becej, Mrcajevci, Preljina and Sokolici near Cacak, Coka, Crna Trava, Mokrin and Rusko Selo near Kikinda, Kostolac, Usce near Kraljevo, Crvenka and Sivac near Kula, Sopljici and Stepojevac near Lazarevac, Predajana and Vucje near Leskovac, Mali Zvornik, Medvedja, Futog and Kisac near Novi Sad, Kolovrat near Prijepolje, Platicevo and Prnjavo near Sabac, Adasevci and Erdevik near Sid, Krajicevo, Stanisic and Staper near Sombor, Krnjisevci and Stari Banovci near Stara Pazova, Svrljig, Sajkas, Stopanja near Trstenik, Sevojno, Lozovik near Velika Plana, Zmajevo near Vrbas, Podunavci near Vrnjacka Banja, Uljma near Vrsac, Curug and Djurdjevo near Zabalj, Zagubica and Krepoljin, Zitoradja and Tomasevac near Zrenjanin. These are places in Serbia that have no alternative to NIS gas stations, and we will see how to solve that," said the minister.

She added that challenges exist, that they are clear, but that the state will look at how to solve this problem, and will also continue to increase its reserves.

"We are already doing that, and we did that over the last three years, when they increased significantly - a total of about 60 percent of all oil derivatives. We have additional quantities of 49,000 tons of diesel arriving in December and January. We've already agreed on some quantities during this year, we have agreed on some recently. We were waiting for the delivery of quality winter fuel, because that is what is kept in reserves. 38,000 tons of gasoline are also arriving. That's something we've also agreed on before and it's coming. We will look at how to increase our reserves in all possible ways. Also, we have enough fuel oil for the entire heating season. People should not worry. Of course, we are in constant communication with all market participants, with all domestic and foreign companies," Djedovic Handanovic said.

She pointed out that what the citizens of Serbia should know is that the state has done everything that the Russian partners have asked for.

"We agreed that they should talk to whoever they want to sell their share (in NIS). We approved that, it was the state's decision. We did everything they asked. However, we should not forget that these sanctions were imposed by the US, and that we, as a small country that only wants to conduct its neutral policy, are affected and obviously it's in everyone's interest to protect their own interests, while we should be the ones to pay the highest price. We will continue to work on it, and if we need be make certain difficult decisions to protect our energy security because our citizens and our country must not suffer because of disagreements between great powers," said the minister.

Djedovic Handanovic added that she is sure that it is clear to our citizens that they can trust their state.

"This is supported by the fact that there have been no disturbances on the market, nor increased consumption, despite all these aggravating circumstances. I'm sure that the citizens will continue to trust their state, because we will find a solution. Everyone is engaged and as you can see we have regular and detailed operational meetings. We discuss everything and these meetings are led by the president of Serbia, where we are all involved and where we are working out all the details," Djedovic Handanovic concluded.

(Telegraf Biznis)