Mihajlovic, Friedman on Cooperation in Energy, Including Nuclear

Zorana Mihajlovic, Justine Friedman, Belgrade, May 26 2022 ((BETAPHOTO/MINISTRY OF MINING AND ENERGY/ZORAN PETROVIC)

Serbian Minister of Energy Zorana Mihajlovic met on June 26 with Justine Friedman, senior advisor in the State Department's Bureau of International Security and Nonproliferation, with whom she discussed Serbia's and the region's energy security and cooperation in the energy transition process, her office has said in a release.

"By adopting a modern legal framework in the area of energy Serbia has laid the foundations for energy transition and changing our energy mix, as at this time 70 percent of electricity comes from coal," Mihajlovic said.

She added that future investments would focus on the renewable energy resources sector and that nuclear energy was also being considered in the composition of strategic documents along with other sources of energy, as a way of securing energy security and independence.

Friedman said that, "it is my pleasure to have this opportunity to review the ways that the U.S. can expand cooperation with Serbia, given the efforts to improve activities, related to energy security and decarbonization, including possible joint efforts in the nuclear energy sector according to the highest international standards of safety, security and nonproliferation." U.S. Ambassador to Serbia Christopher Hill also participated in the meeting.