At the fourth sitting, held on 17 October, the Industry Committee members were briefed on the Information of the Ministry of Energy and Mining concerning the price of natural gas.

The sitting was chaired by the Committee Chairman Milorad Buha, and attended by the Minister of Energy and Mining Dr Petar Skundric and associates, who presented the Information to the Committee.

Minister Skundric stressed that the rise in the price of gas is not a political decision but stems from the need to adjust the price due to the rise in the price of the energy-generating product on the world market and the increase of transit costs. The previous price of gas for households was formed based on a gas price of 248 dollars per 1 000 cubic meters. The price has by now risen to 296 dollars per 1 000 cubic meters, which, with the cost of transit through Hungary of 36 dollars per 1 000 cubic meters, amounts to 532 dollars per 1 000 cubic meters of gas. The total increase is 102% compared to the price from a year ago, which was used to form the previous price of gas. The current price is formed in accordance with the Energy Agency tariff scheme and has risen by 59.9% total. The price of gas per household has risen from 18.96 dinars to 34.01 dinars per cubic meter. The Minister also stated that even with such a price Serbia still has one of the most favourable gas prices in the world. He expressed his understanding for the public concern and stressed that the Ministry will soon come up with specific solutions to dampen the impact to the citizens’ budget.

During the discussion the Committee members and deputies present talked to the Minister in charge about the issue of justification for the rise in the price of gas for households, the transit costs, commissions, debts for gas delivered and the total structure of the price of gas. The Committee Chairman Milorad Buha requested that the Ministry of Energy and Mining submit to the Industry Committee a special written Information concerning the rise in the price of gas for households in Serbia.