Serbia is preparing construction of a new natural-gas interconnector with North Macedonia, intended to add another southern import route for gas entering Southeast Europe via Greece. The Serbian section is planned to run for around 145 kilometres and is expected to cost about €153 million. The project is supported by an implementation agreement signed on Aug. 27, 2026.
Pipeline scope, capacity and early works
The interconnector is designed for annual capacity of 1.5 billion cubic metres. It is expected to provide access to additional supply routes and increase the potential role of LNG and other non-traditional sources entering the Balkans from the south. The first pipes have already been delivered, with initial works planned near Vranjska Banja.
Construction is expected to start with a roughly five-kilometre section. Serbia expects enough pipes for about 15 kilometres of the route to be delivered by the end of October. The planned corridor will pass through Orljane, Leskovac, and Vranje before reaching the North Macedonian border.
Timetable for Serbia and North Macedonia
Serbia aims to complete its section in the first quarter of 2028, subject to remaining administrative procedures being completed on schedule. This includes land expropriation processes. North Macedonia expects its part of the link to be finished around the middle or second half of 2028.
Link with Greece-North Macedonia infrastructure
The project has a strategic connection with the Greece-North Macedonia interconnector, which is expected to enter service in 2027. Together, the pipelines are intended to create a more continuous north-south supply corridor connecting Serbia with Greek gas infrastructure. The arrangement would also support broader development of the regional Vertical Gas Corridor.
For Serbia, diversification is identified as the main value of the new route. The interconnector would not remove existing supply relationships, while it would increase physical optionality and competition between import corridors.
