North Macedonia, Serbia sign gas interconnector deal

An agreement has been signed for the design and construction of the North Macedonia–Serbia gas interconnector, the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources of North Macedonia told Report's Balkan bureau.

The contract was signed by the Director of NOMAGAS and the Director of Rapid Bild, the contractor selected for the project.

The signing ceremony was attended by North Macedonia's Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and Minister of Energy, Mining, and Mineral Resources Sanja Božinovska.

With this agreement, North Macedonia will be connected to Europe through a new gas route. The interconnector, with a total length of approximately 70 kilometers, will link the gas systems of North Macedonia and Serbia. About 23 kilometers of the route will pass through North Macedonia, while 47 kilometers will run through Serbia. On the Macedonian side, the interconnector will connect to the existing pipeline near Klešovce, and in Serbia it will join the gas network near Vranje.

Minister Božinovska stated: "Today we are laying the infrastructure foundation for Skopje's new energy connection with the region and Europe. Through the interconnector with Serbia, we gain access to new gas sources, increase supply security, and create conditions for North Macedonia to play a stronger role in the regional gas system."

She added that the project gains greater importance in connection with the construction of the interconnector with Greece: "Through coordination with Greece and Serbia, North Macedonia will no longer be just an endpoint of a single gas route. We are shaping a position where the country is connected to regional markets and can serve as a transit and energy link between southern and northern Europe. This is our strategic goal."

The North Macedonia–Serbia gas interconnector is considered a project of strategic importance for diversifying natural gas sources and supply routes, as well as for broader regional integration of gas markets.

Currently, construction of the gas interconnector between Skopje and Athens is also underway. This project will connect North Macedonia"s gas network with Greece"s, providing access to the Southern Gas Corridor.