RT.com
01 Oct 2022, 23:44 GMT+10
Belgrade is seeking assistance to cope with the energy crisis
Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic on Saturday asked the EU to provide financial support to the Balkan nations amid the ongoing energy crisis, which has been exacerbated by the bloc's sanctions on Moscow and a sharp decrease in Russia's gas supplies.
Speaking in Sofia at the opening ceremony of the Greece-Bulgaria gas pipeline, Vucic addressed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen directly, since she was in the audience.
"We are grateful for your support during the [Covid-19] crisis, but as far as money is concerned, we cannot cover the gas costs now. Please put our Balkan countries on the list with EU countries," said the Serbian president.
Speaking about the need for speedy diversification of energy sources, Vucic emphasized the importance of the new pipeline, which will give his country, along with Bulgaria and Romania, access to gas supplies from Azerbaijan.
He stressed that when the project was launched nobody knew "how important it would turn out to be." The president also expressed hope that next year his country would be able to launch a Bulgaria-Serbia interconnector.
Vucic is known for his gloomy forecasts about the energy crisis. Although Serbia is not an EU member state, the country's energy supplies transit through countries that are, meaning that sanctions imposed by the bloc on Russia directly affect it. Despite Serbia's EU ambitions, Vucic has been opposing sanctions on Moscow, and has made it clear that his country would continue to rely on energy from Russia. In September, however, the Serbian president warned of a "very cold" winter this year and said that the next one "will be polar for all of Europe."
Von der Leyen, who also spoke at Saturday's ceremony, sounded more optimistic. She called the Greece-Bulgaria pipeline "a game changer" for Europe's energy security, and said that "it means freedom from dependency on Russian gas."
The head of the European Commission also offered reassurances that "Europe will have enough gas for winter." This became possible, she said, owing to projects such as the new Greece-Bulgaria pipeline, and also thanks to help from Norway, the US, Algeria, and other countries.
However, the EU's energy officials seem to hold a view closer to Vucic's. On Friday, EU Commissioner for Energy Kadri Simson warned that "this will not be an easy winter for us, and the next winter will be even more difficult."
(RT.com)
Get a daily dose of Detroit Star news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Detroit Star.
More InformationMADRID, Spain: Liverpool footballer Diogo Jota and his younger brother, André Silva, have died in a car accident in Spain. Spanish...
LONDON, U.K.: An unrelenting heatwave sweeping across Europe has pushed early summer temperatures to historic highs, triggering deadly...
President Donald Trump's plans to build a space-based Golden Dome missile defense shield have drawn immediate criticism from China,...
NEW YORK CITY, New York: Paramount has agreed to pay US$16 million to settle a lawsuit brought by U.S. President Donald Trump over...
LONDON, U.K.: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer won a vote in Parliament this week to move ahead with changes to the country's welfare...
WASHINGTON, D.C.: President Donald Trump will meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House on Monday. President...
(Photo credit: David Richard-Imagn Images) Riley Greene, Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres will start in the All-Star Game this month,...
(Photo credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images) Boston right-hander Walker Buehler looks to put a horrid six-start stretch behind him when...
(Photo credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images) The Chicago Cubs set a franchise record by bashing eight home runs in a single game...
(Photo credit: Michael C. Johnson-Imagn Images) Felix Ojo, a five-star offensive tackle, will stay in his home state of Texas after...
(Photo credit: Ken Blaze-Imagn Images) Wenceel Perez and Zach McKinstry hit solo home runs and four Detroit pitchers combined for...
(Photo credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images) The Tampa Bay Rays will begin their long, strange trip to the All-Star break when they face...