Two-day Balkan Solar Summit dedicated to green energy promotion and environmental protection was opened yesterday in Banja Luka, attended by 50 eminent experts and around 500 participants from around the world.

The summit is an opportunity for companies to present products and services to potential investors from various sectors, thus shaping a clean and smart energy future.

The Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska, Radovan Višković, said that electricity was a prerequisite for development and that coming period would see increased investing in renewable sources while protecting the environment, and added that the two-day Balkan Solar Summit conference was a good opportunity to find answers to key questions in this field.

– I expect Balkan Solar Summit to become a traditional gathering place. The summit is supported by the Government and our companies, and we are glad to host this important event – Višković said.

He announced talks with potential investors in the solar energy sector already for today.

The Minister of European Integration and International Cooperation of the Republic of Srpska, Zlatan Klokić, expressed his satisfaction over Banja Luka’s hosting of this important conference, and noted that renewable energy sources were a current topic.

– We support this summit because it is becoming increasingly international, rather than only regional, and brings together experts from all over the world. We are following the decarbonization process and adoption of EU directives in order to fulfil the priorities of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans – Klokić said.

He hopes that, through experience and knowledge exchange, the participants of this year’s summit will arrive at solutions that will enable implementation of new projects.

Minister Klokić took part in the first panel on the role and importance of solar energy on the road to carbon neutrality.

The Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations in the Council of Ministers, Staša Košarac, said that holding of the Balkan Solar Summit was a confirmation that the policies of the Republic of Srpska in energy sector development had been recognized.

He stated that the Ministry under his helm would continue to support the promotion of all the efforts of Entity structures to strengthen the energy sector and its potential.

The Minister of Energy and Mining of the Republic of Srpska, Petar Đokić, said that Srpska was very active in the decarbonization process, and that Balkan Solar Summit was an opportunity to exchange experiences in that field.

Đokić stated that the ultimate goal was to end the decarbonization process by 2050, adding that the summit would enable experience exchange among experts, future investors and legislative decision-makers.

Representatives of local communities, Republic of Srpska power utility, state-owned enterprises from Srpska, and foreign companies are also attending the summit.

Source: Republic of Srpska Government – RTRS

Photo: Republic of Srpska Government