On April 8, Mikayil Jabbarov, the Minister of Economy of Azerbaijan, stated that he, together with Rovshan Najaf, the President of SOCAR, held a meeting in Baku with Dubravka Đedović Handanović, the Minister of Mining and Energy of Serbia. The parties discussed the strategic partnership between the two countries and the dynamics of their economic relations. "We also discussed the current state and future prospects of cooperation in the fields of energy, green technologies, infrastructure, industry and investment, including work carried out within the framework of cooperation with SOCAR and potential joint projects," Jabbarov stated. Following the visit, Đedović Handanović emphasized that Serbia is continuing negotiations with Azerbaijan to expand energy supplies and advance joint infrastructure initiatives. She noted that energy resources remain the backbone of trade between the two countries and highlighted the growth in gas cooperation. "Since the launch of our cooperation three years ago, the volume of natural gas supplied from Azerbaijan has doubled. We are continuing negotiations on energy deliveries for the upcoming period, as well as on joint infrastructure projects," she stated.

The sides also discussed concrete steps toward the construction of a gas-fired power plant near the city of Niš. The project is expected to play a key role in transforming Serbia’s energy sector. "We discussed timelines for the construction of the facility for electricity and heat generation. This project strengthens the partnership established by Presidents Aleksandar Vučić and Ilham Aliyev," she stated. According to the minister, the planned plant will become a cornerstone of Serbia’s energy system, offering high efficiency with minimal emissions, while making full use of existing infrastructure and contributing to the diversification of energy sources. "This is an investment in southern Serbia, in industry, and in job creation. It lays the foundation for a future where energy supports technological progress—from artificial intelligence to new data centers," Đedović Handanović concluded.

During her visit, the Serbian minister also met with Sahil Babayev, the Minister of Finance of Azerbaijan, to discuss broader bilateral cooperation. She underlined that the talks contributed to deepening dialogue and strengthening the strategic partnership, particularly in the field of energy security. Đedović Handanović further announced plans to launch direct flights between Belgrade and Baku next month, alongside a series of upcoming high-level visits. "I am pleased that today's talks deepened our dialogue, marking a significant step toward enhancing Serbia's energy security and expanding our strategic partnership," she emphasized.