Official planning documents show that a gas pipeline linking Serbia with Croatia and the LNG terminal on Krk would require an investment of around €60 million and could be completed by 2031. The project has returned to public discussion after Croatian officials confirmed plans for a connection toward Serbia, which the Serbian side has shown interest in.
Although Serbia’s strategic energy plans include the Croatia interconnector among future projects, it is not a priority, with greater focus given to gas links with Romania and North Macedonia. The national plan for energy infrastructure development through 2028, projecting to 2030, also lists the Croatia connection with the same cost estimate and timeline.
The Serbian section of the pipeline would span approximately 95 kilometers, from the Gospodjinci hub to the border near Backo Novi Selo. Serbian authorities have confirmed that the project is under review, while emphasizing caution due to previous issues with oil transit via JANAF. Analysts note that while new interconnections enhance energy security, the Krk terminal has a limited capacity of 6 billion cubic meters per year and already serves Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, raising questions about the volume available for Serbia.
Diversification is considered beneficial if costs remain moderate, but assessments suggest that gas from Krk would not substantially improve Serbia’s overall supply balance. LNG is relatively expensive, and the Krk terminal primarily serves Croatia, with any surplus intended for resale.
Current evaluations indicate that Serbia should continue following its existing gas infrastructure strategy. The connection with Romania, relying on Black Sea production, is considered more strategic, while North Macedonia would provide an additional route alongside Bulgaria to the larger-capacity LNG terminal in Alexandroupoli. Meanwhile, TurkStream remains Serbia’s main gas source, fully covering domestic demand at the lowest cost with the most reliable infrastructure. There is also skepticism about Europe’s ability to maintain a long-term policy of fully abandoning Russian gas.
Official estimates place the construction cost of the Romania interconnector at about €12 million, while the planned North Macedonia link is valued at approximately €42 million.
