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EU energy support of €165 million to help most vulnerable households and SMEs in Serbia
The EU Ambassador in Serbia Emanuele Giaufret and President of Serbia Aleksandar Vučić witnessed today the signing of a €165 million budget support to fight the energy crisis in Serbia. With this EU aid, announced by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in October 2022, vulnerable households and SMEs in Serbia will pay less for energy.
The agreement was signed by the Minister for European Integration, Tanja Miščević, and the Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, Plamena Halačeva. The event was attended by the Minister of Finance Siniša Mali, Minister of Mining and Energy Dubravka Djedović and General Director of “Elektromreža Srbije” Jelena Matejić. This immediate support is the first tranche of the ambitious €1 billion EU Energy Support Package to help the Western Balkans face the current energy crisis and promote its clean energy transition.
The €500 million for six Western Balkan partners will provide direct funds to the region’s economies through budget-support measures: To balance the increase in energy prices for businesses and the energy sector, To keep energy prices affordable, especially for vulnerable households and To support policy measures to accelerate the green energy transition.
The second part of the package – another €500 million – will cover priority flagship investments to diversify energy supplies, boost renewable energy and improve energy efficiency. It will also promote the clean energy transition of the region and cut dependency on Russia’s fossil fuels.
Source: WBIF
Photo credits: WBIF
