Serbia’s newly-appointed Mining and Energy Minister Dubravka Djedovic said Serbia will have to address the issue of the energy sector reform, announced new natural gas and electricity prices and added that “we should consider ways” of how to utilize lithium’s potential.
Djedovic told Euronews Serbia that the energy sector reform is long delayed and badly needed and that it also implies a reform of public companies.
She said the issue of electricity and natural gas prices would have to be brought up, “sooner rather than later,” because energy companies in Europe have increased these prices three, four, five or more times.
“There is no other way. Yes, countries are investing heavily in the energy sector. So is Serbia,” said Djedovic, explaining that Serbia only had a minor increase in electricity and natural gas prices. “We have to talk about difficult topics for all of us,” she said, adding that the country needs to be sustainable.
Asked if lithium is a chance for Serbia, Djedovic said Serbia is lucky to have a very important mineral needed for renewable sources, one that the entire world is focusing on.
“I think Serbia should consider ways of how it can use this potential…. All countries that have some natural resource and are not exploiting it are at a loss,” said the Minister.
She said that every use of natural resources is harmful to the environment and that it is just a matter of what measures will be taken to diminish the risks.
“If we are going to develop and to work to have better living conditions for the citizens and economy, higher salaries, then we should use our potentials, but with all the factors that can minimize the risks and make them acceptable, if possible,” said Djedovic.
(Danas, 04.11.2022)