NGOs urge Western Balkans to avoid ‘gas lock-in’

A group of 47 civil society organisations has urged Western Balkan governments to abandon plans for new gas infrastructure, warning the region risks becoming locked into costly fossil fuel dependence.

In a joint statement issued on April 27 ahead of the Three Seas Initiative Summit in Dubrovnik, the organisations said proposals backed in part by the United States could sharply increase gas consumption rather than reduce reliance on Russian supplies.

Projects under discussion include interconnectors, liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and new gas-fired power plants across the Western Balkans, including links between Greece and North Macedonia and infrastructure in Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia & Herzegovina.

The groups said such investments could triple regional gas consumption compared with 2023 levels, undermining climate goals and increasing dependence on imported fuels.

Unlike the European Union, where gas accounted for more than 20% of energy supply in 2024, Western Balkan countries currently have relatively low gas use. Serbia and North Macedonia are the most reliant, while others have minimal or no gas infrastructure.

“Governments are still planning new gas pipelines and power plants despite repeated energy crises,” said Bankwatch’s Pippa Gallop, warning such projects risk becoming stranded assets or requiring heavy public subsidies.

An intergovernmental agreement on a Croatia–Bosnia gas link is expected at the summit, while plans for an LNG terminal in Montenegro have already drawn local opposition.

The NGOs called instead for investment in renewable energy, including solar and wind, alongside grid upgrades and energy efficiency measures. They also urged wider use of heat pumps and electrification in transport and heating to reduce emissions and strengthen energy security.