Serbia mining and energy minister wey dey technical mandate, Dubravka Djedovic Handanovic, tok say crude oil cost 133 dollars a barrel today. She yarn dis one for Ljig, for handover of contracts for co-financing energy efficiency projects in public buildings. Tanjug carry her remarks at 2:51 p.m.
Minister tell reporters say: ‘It has topped 133 dollars a barrel today. That is certainly a record level going back several years, and a consequence of everything happening on the geopolitical stage.’ She no talk which type of crude oil the figure mean.
But di minister number no match morning market reports from same day. According to Blic, as Naslovi.net carry am, Brent crude cross 108.13 dollar mark per barrel dis morning. European natural gas approach about 81 euros per megawatt hour. Euronews and Insajder, also via Naslovi.net, report same figure for Brent.
Whether di gap between 108 and 133 dollars come from different type of oil, different time of measurement during di day, or something else, no body fit determine from minister statement or morning reports. Neither source mention di other figure. If 133 dollar figure refer to Brent, e go mark record wider than any recorded so far.
Dis paper previously report say Brent climb to 108 dollars, with European gas prices rising above 1,000 dollars. Until now, highest Brent price since war with Iran begin on February 28 na 126.41 dollars, recorded on April 30.
Di minister also tok say diesel quotations pass 1,500 dollars per ton for di first time, reach 1,550 dollars per ton. She blame am on problems at Russian refineries and infrastructure issues for Middle East and Persian Gulf. ‘Diesel quotations have for the first time exceeded 1,500 dollars per ton, in fact they’ve reached 1,550 dollars per ton, which is an unprecedented figure, precisely because of the problems with refineries in Russia, the problems with infrastructure in the Middle East, in the Persian Gulf, and all of that is creating pressure,’ Djedovic Handanovic tok.
According to di minister, gas reserves stand at 692 million cubic meters. Part of am dey Banatski Dvor storage facility, part dey Hungary. ‘Gas reserves are at an extremely high level, that is, at 692 million cubic meters,’ she tok.
For state commodity reserves, she add say around 270,000 tons of diesel and 57,000 tons of gasoline dey currently. She tok say dem don increase di quantities well well over recent period and dem dey replenish am by however much dem release onto market.
More than 1.7 million tons of coal dey depots currently, against target of two million tons. Low water level for Danube slow delivery of 250,000 tons of coal from Constanta by barge. So part of am now dey arrive by rail from Constanta and by truck from port of Bar to Nikola Tesla power plant.
‘The energy situation was extremely complex throughout the summer because of the low water level of the Danube, which affected certain preparatory work for the heating season,’ Djedovic Handanovic tok. Di minister say she expect water level to rise during October, when barges suppose move remaining quantities faster.
Djedovic Handanovic also mention problems involving Petroleum Industry of Serbia (NIS), but she no detail di nature. She tok say because fuel prices dey rise across Europe, Serbia cut excise duties further to keep prices under control. ‘We also have our own challenges with the Petroleum Industry of Serbia, so regardless of all those challenges, preparations for the heating season are underway,’ she tok.
NIS currently dey operate under operating license from US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), valid until September 30, 2026. Di deadline na two weeks away, and di minister no tok for Ljig what go happen once e pass. ‘We continue to monitor the situation, we are working diligently and responsibly regarding external influences,’ Djedovic Handanovic tok.
She stress say no restriction dey for fuel or electricity supply so far, unlike for some neighboring countries. She mention am without specifying what disruptions dey involved there.
