Belgrade, 12 December 2025 (MIA) – The gas interconnector linking Serbia and North Macedonia is slated for completion by the end of 2027, with gas delivery in early 2028, announced energy and mining ministers of both countries, Dubravka Đedović Handanović and Sanja Bozhinovska, following their meeting in Belgrade and the joint working group meeting on the interconnector’s implementation.

This project, Đedović Handanović stressed, is yet another proof of the strong bilateral cooperation between Serbia and North Macedonia, based on trust, shared interest and a clear vision for regional energy stability.

She noted that the interconnector is planned to be 144 kilometer long, with an estimated value of €153 million, and that the necessary funds have been secured.

“We are finishing the design project in the coming months. With EU support, we have also completed the feasibility study and the environmental impact assessment and are moving forward. The plan is to obtain the construction permit by mid-2026 and start construction immediately thereafter. The gas pipeline will have a capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters,” Đedović Handanović told reporters after talks with the Macedonian delegation.

Bozhinovska underlined that Macedonia has fewer kilometers to cover on the section toward Serbia, about 23, and she expects the interconnector to be completed by the end of 2027 and operational from early 2028.

She said that her ministry maintains good cooperation with all neighbouring countries and that, among the topics discussed today, the gas connection is the most important.

“At present, we have only one link to Bulgaria, but we have begun building an interconnector to Greece, which will make our country a transit route for gas, and through us, from Greece, we will be part of the transit to Eastern Europe. Regarding the timeline, at a technical level we have already agreed on, I hope we will implement it and build the interconnector with Greece by the end of 2027,” Bozhinovska said.

She also highlighted the good cooperation with Serbia within the Energy Community and noted that helping neighbouring countries is the most important.

During today’s meeting in Belgrade, it was agreed that working group sessions will occur every two months, that progress will be monitored, and that timely coordination of activities related to the completion of interconnectors is crucial.

Photo: Facebook of Đedović Handanović