Vučić: No Russian oil imports from November, a difficult winter lies ahead

(Patria) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić stated that Serbia is preparing for a difficult winter and securing everything necessary, but that about ten new problems arise daily and that it should be taken into account that they will no longer be able to import Russian oil from November.

Vučić said that 350 tons of fuel oil are being consumed in Obrenovac alone today, because the coal is still not dry and of sufficient quality, and that seven times more will be consumed in the winter than now.

"We need to secure fuel oil, NIS does not have enough fuel oil, so we import 20,000 tons, and then you calculate that you need 120,000 tons for the entire winter," Vučić stated.

He says that there is no fuel oil anywhere and that it has to be imported by barges from Romania.

"Everyone wants their apartment to be warm so they can walk around in shorts and a t-shirt. No one wants to wear a sweater in their apartment in winter, and no one asks how we will fill enough gas, how we will secure 2.7 million cubic meters of gas per day just for the gas power plants in Novi Sad, Pančevo, and Zrenjanin. From November 1, we will no longer have the right to import Russian oil, according to the currently valid sanctions, and who knows what sanctions will be imposed by then," Vučić pointed out.

What if any malfunction occurs at the Refinery, where will we get the parts, Vučić noted.

"We can currently excavate 62,000 tons, and we need 95,000 to 100,000 tons in winter, we will perhaps excavate 75,000 or 80,000 tons, and where will we import coal from, how will we transport it, what quality is it...", Vučić stated.

The President of Serbia also added that there will be no electricity in the region, and that only Bulgaria will surely have it due to the nuclear power plant.