We have introduced a state of emergency, we just have not declared it yet, said Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, explaining that problems are being solved on a daily basis because a difficult winter is ahead, writes rs.n1info.com
We are already pumping gas into Hungarian storage facilities at high prices, Vucic told the pro-regime TV Pink, adding that the export of oil derivatives has been suspended and that this decision will be extended.
In winter time we use about 110,000 tonnes of coal, we are short of 20,000 per day and we have seven days’ worth of coal at the depot. We are starting to import it, he said.
The President said that Serbia agreed with Russia on a good gas price and that “in the worst case, in winter, in the event of a world war, two-thirds of our needs will be covered.”
“If we have to, we will take the Serbian Oil Industry (NIS) over from the Russians and return it once the sanctions are over,” Vucic said, adding that some Iraqi oil traders are refusing to work with companies that have Russian majority owners. Vucic said this will be done only if absolutely necessary because the state will not take anything by force.
He said the ban on diesel fuel and gasoline exports is to be extended for another seven days because, due to limited prices, it is not profitable for other importers of these fuels to import it, so the local market needs to be supplied with this fuel.
“When the prices are controlled no one wants to import and lose money and everyone is waiting to get that fuel from the NIS refinery,” said Vucic, adding that another potential problem could be spare parts for the refinery because it has been hit by sanctions.
“Enormous investments in energy sources for the winter are needed, the madness is just starting and there are no guarantees regarding supply, said the President, adding that two-thirds of gas needed for the winter has already been secured and that two million tonnes of coal will be purchased from the Chinese.
