MINING SECTOR 2021
INTERVIEW
ZORANA MIHAJLOVIĆ PH.D., DEPUTY SERBIAN PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF MINING AND ENERGY
Mining Has Serious
DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL The value of Serbia's mineral wealth totals in excess of 200 billion dollars, and that wealth should be used in a sustainable way – in order to contribute to economic development and growth, and for that to be responsible towards the environment and, finally, for us to see the effects of that in Serbia's national budget.
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ur aim is to create the conditions to invest in mining in Serbia, for investors to be able to rely on transparent and efficient procedures, but, on the other hand, for us as a state to take care of our mineral resources, of the income that’s generated from their use, and for all projects to be in compliance with requirements that relate to the environment. - This is how Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Mining and Energy Zorana Mihajlović summarises the directions of the ministry’s activities in the field of mining for the period ahead. ou started your term by announcing reforms in the sectors of energy Y and mining. What are the preconditions for these two sectors to become development drivers of the Serbian economy? Mining and energy are sectors that have long been “sleeping” and have not developed in the previous six years at the speed required for Serbia to be energy secure and to utilise the potentials that exist in these sectors. Mining is a sector that has been stalled for a long time completely undeservedly. We want to fix this injustice, because mining has much greater potential than is currently utilised. The value of Serbia’s mineral wealth totals in excess of 200 billion dollars, and that wealth should be used in a sustainable way – in order to contribute to economic development and growth, and for that to be responsible towards the environment and, finally, for us to see the effects of that in Serbia’s national budget. It was with this aim in mind that the Ministry prepared draft amendments to the Law on Mining and Geological Research, with which we want to create the conditions for Serbia to gain a modern and much more successful mining sector. This means that we want to attract new investments to Serbia, and for the share of mining in GDP to increase over a period of about three years to be close to 4%, instead of the current 1.9%. With this in mind, it is important to better protect our mineral resources, and to secure higher revenues for the state, because 8
mining resources are non-renewable. Last but by no means least, we want the development of mining to be sustainable, and for everything done in this area to be carried out with adherence to all regulations and the highest environmental standards. Juxtaposed to that, Serbia is in a period of major and serious changes to the energy sector, because we are turning towards climate-neutral development, which implies increased investment in renewable energy sources and energy efficiency, while electricity production from coal – as part of the energy transition – will be gradually reduced in the coming decades. The beginnings of these changes are already visible in the draft laws prepared by the Ministry. By amending the Law on Energy and introducing new laws on renewable energy sources and a law on energy efficiency and the rational use of energy, we will enable the energy sector to operate more efficiently and orderly and to be harmonised with current regulations and processes applied in the European Union. At the same time, we are starting to establish new directions in our energy policy, in which we want to raise energy efficiency to the level of the national goal and national project, as well as creating opportunities to invest in and use much more energy from renewable sources. Among other things, with the new law we’ve provided the possibility for customers to also be energy producers, to have solar panels on the roofs of their houses, residential buildings, production facilities and sports halls. ou’ve announced e-energy and e-mining, or the digitisation of Y procedures. Will that require more or less work compared to building permits? How much have we progressedin the digital transformation of administrative procedures as a country, at both the national and local levels? With the introducing of e-permits in construction we showed what we are capable of doing as a country when the political will, knowledge, commitment
