On June 4, Sasa Kokovic, Acting Assistant to the Minister for Oil and Gas of Serbia’s Ministry of Mining and Energy, announced plans to build a new interconnector to increase imports of Azerbaijani gas, speaking at the 30th Baku Energy Forum.

Kokovic stated that Serbia now has the opportunity to receive Azerbaijani natural gas and transmit it to Hungary, but this requires modernization of the country’s outdated gas transportation system, much of which dates back to the 1960s. He described Azerbaijan as a new strategic partner for Serbia and a key component in diversifying gas supplies following reliance on Russian gas. "This will be made possible through the connection point to the interconnector," Kokovic noted.

He highlighted that diversifying sources and supply routes via border interconnectors remains a critical strategic priority for Serbia, to be implemented over the next three years. Kokovic revealed that the government is considering connections to Romania’s gas network in the north and North Macedonia’s in the south. With European Union support and the construction of an interconnector with North Macedonia, Serbia would gain access to the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the broader Southern Gas Corridor, while also securing access to Greece’s LNG terminal.

Kokovic stressed that completing these infrastructure projects is essential for strengthening Serbia’s energy security, encompassing both gas and oil supplies. He expressed optimism that Serbia and the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) would identify optimal solutions for gas volumes and throughput capacity. "Given Azerbaijan’s potential, we hope that through the new interconnector in the Kalotina region—on the border with Bulgaria—we will be able to receive more natural gas along this route," Kokovic added.