Serbian Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic met with Republika Srpska Energy Minister Petar Djokic and State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy of Montenegro in charge of Energy Nikola Vujovic.
The meeting was held at the initiative of the Ministry of Mining and Energy of the Republic of Serbia, with the aim of intensifying cooperation in the field of energy. The three sides agreed that it is extremely important that there is a joint initiative to deepen energy cooperation, with particular reference to harnessing the rich hydro-potentials.
It was emphasized that it was important for all three parties to recognize the importance of regional energy cooperation, since energy security could not be a matter for just one country, but for the entire region. The three parties agreed that a Memorandum of Understanding on Regional Hydrological Cooperation would be signed as soon as possible, bearing in mind the existing common hydropower facilities, but also the need to commission the hydro potentials at our disposal.
The memorandum will also define environmental protection as well as water management for flood protection in river areas.
The meeting also discussed the Bajina Basta – Pljevlja – Visegrad electricity transmission interconnection development dynamics, as part of the Trans-Balkan Corridor project.
Considering that Montenegro has recently commissioned an underwater cable transmitting electricity to Italy, it was estimated that this would be an opportunity to make the most of all energy potentials, including thermal, wind and hydro.
Coordination of power companies of Serbia, Montenegro and Republika Srpska was also agreed today in Belgrade, as well as more frequent meetings at the level of ministers and secretaries of state. The three parties also discussed open topics regarding inherited unresolved issues related to joint energy projects and facilities, as well as ways to come up with a model for addressing such issues in the near future.
The meeting was also attended by State Secretary of the Ministry of Mining and Energy Mirjana Filipovic, Advisor to the Prime Minister of Montenegro, Ljubo Knezevic, Acting Director of JP EPS – Milorad Grcic, as well as Director of Key Investment Projects Department of JP EPS – Vladimir Markovic.
