MIHAJLOVIC: Serbia urgently needs alternative to South Stream gas pipeline

(Zorana Mihajlovic)

Serbian Minister of Construction, Transportation and Infrastructure assessed Thursday that Serbia must urgently secure an alternative gas supply route to South Stream, the Nis-Dimitrovgrad gas pipeline, adding that the two would not be rivals.

- Serbia is merely part of the South Stream and has no influence on the relations between Russia and the European Union which are fighting around its construction - Mihajlovic told TV B92.

As she stressed, Serbia is ready for the construction of South Stream but awaits answers that must be given by Russia and the European Union.

- We've had several gas crisis so far and we must take care of energy security - whether we will store gas in some facility in Hungary or store additional quantities at Banatski Dvor - Mihajlovic pointed out.

She added that the energy security strategy should be made by the Ministry of Energy and Mining.

As she explained, energy security is so important that it can cost Serbia future development if it fails to secure sufficient quantities of gas.