Energy Community withdraws motion for sanctions to Serbia

The motion for sanctions to Serbia have been withdrawn from the agenda of the ministerial meeting of the Energy Community to be held in Sarajevo this Friday, it was said on Wednesday, October 12 at the Secretariat of the Energy Community.

– Following the efficient and dedicated dialogue between the director of the Secretariat, Janez Kopac, and the minister of energy of Serbia, Aleksandar Antic, an agreement on binding action plan for restructuring Srbijagas was reached, which will simultaneously solve the case and provide the foundation for certifying Transportgas Srbija, the future operator of the transfer system, in line with the Third Energy Package – says the written reply by the Secretariat of the Energy Community.

The Secretariat announced earlier that it would require the discussion to be held at the session of the Ministerial Council of the European Community about potential penalties for Serbia due to considerable delays in unbundling activities in Srbijagas in line with the EU regulations implemented in the Energy Community of Southeast Europe.

The Secretariat says for EurAktiv that, on October 11, the Government of Serbia adopted a decree proscribing to gas companies to operate in line with the action plan for Srbijagas and that the Ministry of Energy will regularly submit reports to the Secretariat, guaranteeing the transparency of the process.

– In light of these developments, the agreement was reached for the Secretariat to suspend the request to the Ministerial Council to adopt measures against Serbia at this year's meeting – the Secretariat says.

Serbia's omission has been characterized as “serious and persistent” and the government has expressed “strong determination” to change this and has found “a reliable partner for solving the case” in the Secretariat.

Minister of Mining and Energy Aleksandar Antic previously said that he hoped that the Energy Community wouldn't impose sanctions on Serbia and that he would notify the organization of the activities towards the reorganization of Srbijagas in line with the EC regulations.

JP Srbijagas Novi Sad

Ministarstvo rudarstva i energetike Republike Srbije

Vlada Republike Srbije

Transportgas Srbija doo Novi Sad

Srbijagas

Energy Community

Janez Kopac

Ministry of Mining and Energy

Aleksandar Antic

restructuring of Srbijagas

Transportgas Srbija

Third Energy Package

Government of Serbia