Bajatovic: Prices for household will not change, we will have enough gas this winter

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Serbia will not have problems with gas supply during this heating season, and gas prices for households will not change, Srbijagas Director Dusan Bajatovic said today.

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He added that gas consumption these days, even though the temperatures are not below zero, has increased as 14 million cubic meters of gas are consumed daily.

"The industry consumes the most, that's where the biggest rise is, the general population consumption has fallen below 15 percent, but for this time of year, 14 million cubic meters of gas per day is simply not a normal amount. That is 20 percent above what we spent in some, let's say, regular years that had more cold days in a row," he told TV Prva.

Bajatovic added that earlier, 14 million cubic meters of gas were consumed during peaks, and now that number will be 17 to 18 million.

Speaking about how oil and gas prices might change, he pointed out that it is difficult to forecast the stock market, but that it can be expected that the planned 37 and 48 euros per megawatt, that is, around 450 euros for 1,000 cubic meters, will be maintained.

"We have a much more favorable price with the Russians, about 320 euros, considering the arrangement agreed on by Presidents Aleksandar Vucic and Vladimir Putin and which is valid until May 31. We have already started negotiations regarding the extension of the long-term contract, we have additional quantities coming from the Turkish Stream, there will be some from Banatski Dvor, we have gas stored in Hungary," stated Bajatovic.

Asked to comment on the US sanctions against Gazprom Bank and whether Serbia could have a problem because of it, he said that solutions are being sought, but that he could not speak more precisely about it.

"There's a lot of confusion about how we will continue to do services and payments, but I cannot talk about the details. We have some solutions, but I can't talk about it publicly, because at this moment we don't even know what will happen with the request by Hungary, Turkey, but now also Serbia, for exemption from sanctions against Gazprom Bank, so that we can pay directly. That's what we asked the State Department to do. It will take a long time," said Bajatovic.

He added that there are some solutions that Serbia will try to implement and added that Europe is aware that there is no alternative regarding the supply of gas when it comes to Southeast Europe, Serbia, Hungary and Slovakia, because from January 1 there will be no more transit of Russian gas through Ukraine.

(Telegraf.rs/Tanjug)