OREANDA-NEWS Serbian Energy Minister Zorana Mihajlovic said that the country intends to reduce dependence on Russian gas by 40% in 2023 with the help of suppliers from other countries, according to Gazeta.ru.

Mihajlovic said that by the fall of 2023 the builders should finish the gas pipeline connection between Serbia and Bulgaria.

However, the head of the Serbian Energy Ministry said that while the Serbian gas company Srbijagas is negotiating with the Russian "Gazprom" about a new contract for the supply of gas. Mihajlovic noted that the discussions are "not easy." "We believe we will not be able to keep the price of $270 per thousand cubic meters, but it will definitely be much, much lower than the current market price of $950," she stressed.

Late last week, Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the country would continue to resist imposing economic sanctions against Russia.