At the prestigious “Next Milano” forum hosted by Bocconi University, Serbia’s Minister of Mining and Energy, Dubravka Đedović Handanović, delivered a quietly revolutionary message: Serbia is ready to transition to a carbon-neutral energy sector by 2050—without triggering economic collapse.
Speaking before an audience of over a thousand global students, Đedović Handanović outlined a long-term, realistic plan that includes a significant shift in energy sources, with nuclear power now officially on the table following the lifting of a decades-old moratorium.
She warned that a hasty shutdown of coal plants would devastate vital services and industry, stressing the need for “base-load” power sources.
Serbia’s ambitions include €15 billion in energy investment and stronger regional grid interconnections.
As AI and data centres drive soaring electricity demand—Serbia’s Kragujevac centre alone consumes 0.35% of national supply—the country seeks not just energy security but academic partnerships, positioning itself as the Western Balkans’ energy and education hub.
