The Government of Serbia and the Ministry of Mining and Energy will completely change its investment plans, giving priority to energy efficiency and the fight against pollution, Deputy Prime Minister Zorana Mihajlović said. She revealed more than EUR 1.5 billion has been earmarked for the purpose for next year.

When the COVID-19 pandemic is over, the years ahead may be “equally gray and under masks” if Serbia doesn’t come together to overcome the environmental crisis, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlović said at the Economist’s annual conference World in 2021. She promised Serbia would “turn much more to renewable energy sources” next year and added over EUR 1.5 billion of public money would be invested in energy efficiency and measures to reduce pollution, particularly air pollution.

Big changes in mining, energy

Everyone in Serbia is beginning to understand there is no way forward for energy and mining without environmental security, according to Mihajlović, who announced “big changes” in the sector. It must change its fundamentals and strategies and focus entirely on environmental protection, she said.

The biggest result of the use of coal is pollution

“Serbia will do everything so that every citizen in the country can get the possibility next year to increase energy efficiency in their apartments and houses. The energy that we produce, the energy that we distribute, the energy that we consume must be healthy energy, green energy,” the deputy prime minister stated.

Total overhaul of investment plans

The government and the ministry will “completely alter investment plants,” she revealed and vowed to try and gradually reduce the production of electricity from coal. The fossil fuel has low quality and the biggest element of its output is pollution, so Serbia will work more or begin to work on efficient energy production and biomass-fueled systems, Mihajlović said.

Without a healthy environment, there is “no future” for the domestic energy sector and the reform of big state-owned companies, according to the minister.