Although Croatia is small stakeholder in energy consumption compared to larger countries, its geographical position and energy policies can ensure that it may play the role of an energy hub in the region, Economy Minister Ivan Vrdoljak said at the event organised by the Banka journal.
In order to achieve this goal it is necessary to construct the Adriatic-Ionian gas pipeline and an LNG terminal and to improve the use of the existing Croatian energy infrastructure, that is its gas pipeline, oil pipeline and refineries, the minister said mentioning the government's plans for exploration of energy resources.
Croatia is expected to publish tenders for exploration in the Adriatic in the first half of 2014 and tenders of tha kind are to ensue for the mainland of Croatia in H2 2014.
Participants in the round table discussion were critical of the EU's energy policy which they said was paving the way to declining investments and problems for classic energy companies.
"Europe wants secure supplies with cheap energy and that everything is green, and such approach is a mistake that is devastating the market," said Tomislav Seric, the Croatian power provider (HEP) CEO.