New Minister Announces Power Price Hike, Lithium Mining

Dubravka Djedovic-Negre (BETAPHOTO/MILOS MISKOV/DS)

Serbia will have to undertake reforms of its energy industry, increase the price of electricity and natural gas, and consider mining its lithium reserves, announced Dubravka Djedovic, the new minister of mining and energy. 

Djedovic told Euronews Srbija that said reforms – which would include the restructuring of certain publicly-owned companies – have been put off for a long time despite being desperately necessary. 

According to her, Serbia’s prices of electricity and natural gas will have to be reevaluated “sooner, rather than later” because power companies throughout Europe have increased their own prices at least three- to five-fold.

“It cannot be avoided. It is true that [many] countries are making large investments into their energy industries – Serbia is, too. But, so far, we’ve only made minimal increases to the price of power and natural gas. We need to start talking about the issues we all find difficult,” Djedovic said.

Asked whether lithium mining would provide a good opportunity for Serbia, Djedovic stated that the country is fortunate to have reserves of this mineral, which is essential to renewable energy sources and, as such, highly sought after globally. 

“I think that Serbia should consider how it could utilize this potential. My job is to analyze, to consider, to see what’s been done, what hasn’t, and why not. But all countries that have a natural resource yet are not exploiting it, are at a loss,” the minister said.

Djedovic further explained that there is not a single natural resource that can be exploited without a toll on the environment, the question merely being what measures will be undertaken to minimize the risks involved.