Serbia is planning to build a gas-fired power plant near Niš in collaboration with Azerbaijan, ensuring energy security for the country for the next 12 years, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced in Baku following talks with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev.
“We have increased trade with Azerbaijan by about 30 times, particularly in weapons, equipment, and energy resources like gas,” Vučić said. “Today, we discussed an important issue related to COP29, which is the construction of a gas power plant near Niš. In southern Serbia, we face power supply problems, which date back to the past, as the infrastructure wasn’t properly developed back then,” he added.
Vučić emphasized that the plan is to build the gas power plant to secure the country’s future energy needs. He also discussed two key issues ahead of COP29: securing financing for renewable energy and non-fossil fuels, and exploring the use of small modular reactors, along with the necessary knowledge and partners to implement such projects in a reasonable timeframe, avoiding delays of 12 to 14 years.
The Serbian president also highlighted the need for balancing energy, a topic that requires serious discussion. “We need to ensure balancing energy for the world. We can’t claim to secure peace globally while ignoring financial realities,” Vučić remarked.
He pointed out that countries like Azerbaijan face challenges such as sea level rise and other environmental issues affecting poorer nations. “There are countless problems, and these mostly impact poorer countries. But no one understands how we will finance all of this,” Vučić stressed.
Vučić is set to speak tomorrow at the UN Climate Change Conference COP29 in Baku, which will gather world leaders, business representatives, and civil society members until November 22, aiming to accelerate actions addressing the climate crisis.
