Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić announced on Sunday that Serbian army and police discovered explosives placed near a critical gas pipeline in northern Serbia. According to reports, two large packages of explosives with detonators were found inside backpacks in Kanjiza, located a few hundred meters from the Balkan Stream pipeline that carries Russian gas to both Serbia and Hungary.
President Vučić stated he had informed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán about the initial investigation results into what he described as a threat to critical gas infrastructure. Orbán confirmed the conversation between the two leaders and said he had called an extraordinary defense council in Hungary for Sunday afternoon.
I had informed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán about the initial investigation results into what he described as a threat to critical gas infrastructure.
The Balkan Stream pipeline is an extension of the TurkStream pipeline and serves as a key energy artery transferring Russian gas to Serbia and Hungary. No details were provided about who may have placed the explosives or their motives, though Vučić mentioned there were "certain traces" that he declined to elaborate on.
The incident occurs amid heightened tensions over energy infrastructure security in the region, with Hungary previously accusing Ukraine of attempting to trigger an energy crisis ahead of Hungary's April 12 general election. Serbia, which is not an EU member state but is a candidate for joining the bloc, remains heavily dependent on Russian gas imports.
There were 'certain traces' that he declined to elaborate on.
He had called an extraordinary defense council in Hungary for Sunday afternoon.