Andrej Bojić: Energy ties with Azerbaijan vital for Serbia

The development of cooperation with Azerbaijan in the energy sector is very important for Serbia, Serbian expert Andrej Bojić told Report's Balkan Bureau.

He noted that relations between Serbia and Azerbaijan are based on strategic cooperation between the two countries and have particularly developed in recent years, thanks to the excellent personal relations between the two countries' presidents, Aleksandar Vučić and Ilham Aliyev:

"The development of cooperation with Azerbaijan in the energy sector is of great importance for Serbia, and here we are observing not only the strengthening of existing cooperation, but also the emergence of entirely new joint energy projects."

According to the expert, the planned natural gas power plant with high electricity generation capacity near the Serbian city of Niš is one of the most important projects for the country during the energy transition period:

"In this transition process, electricity is considered one of the main carriers and plays an important role in the future development of the country's economy. The same approach applies to the natural gas sector. Serbia has great potential for the development of its gas infrastructure, and we need natural gas from all our friends and partners. In this regard, Azerbaijan undoubtedly ranks among the top priorities."

The contract signed within the framework of delivering Azerbaijani gas to Serbia via the Bulgaria–Serbia interconnector has been extended until the end of 2026.

This was announced on April 8 during a meeting in Baku between Sahil Babayev, co-chair of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade and Economic Cooperation between Azerbaijan and Serbia, and a delegation led by Serbia's Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Đedović Handanović.