On 23 September 2026, the EUSAIR Pillar 2 “Connecting the Region” – Energy held a dedicated panel at the Sarajevo Energy and Climate Week (SECW) 2026 on the update of the EUSAIR Master Plan of Energy for the Adriatic and Ionian Region. The session was moderated by Sergio Garribba, Coordinator of EUSAIR Pillar 2 Energy and brought together representatives of public institutions and energy experts from Bosnia and Herzegovina and the wider Adriatic-Ionian area.
Davide Tabarelli, President of Nomisma Energia, delivered the keynote address on the ongoing update of the EUSAIR Master Plan on Energy. He presented it as the region’s central strategic tool for energy integration and decarbonisation, designed to support the participating countries’ alignment with EU objectives to their mutual benefit. He outlined the Master Plan’s structure, its scenarios to 2035 and 2050, and the timeline for its completion. Tabarelli highlighted the structural differences among the participating countries’ energy systems, in particular their energy mix, reliance on renewables and dependence on imports. Drawing on the lessons of recent energy crises, he stressed that energy security is closely linked to competitiveness. He called for a realistic assessment of past policies and for stronger regional cooperation on interconnections, markets, renewables and energy efficiency.
The panel featured contributions from Sanja Kapetina (Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina), Boris Lubarda (Ministry of Energy and Mining of Republika Srpska), Eldar Hukić (Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina) and Goran Krstović (EU4Energy). The discussion focused on balancing energy security and competitiveness with decarbonisation, integrating higher shares of renewables into electricity systems, strengthening cross-border interconnections and promoting regional market integration.
In his concluding remarks, Garribba underlined the importance of enhanced cooperation among Adriatic-Ionian countries in response to emerging geopolitical risks and market uncertainties. He stressed the growing role of innovation, including digitalisation, smart grids and artificial intelligence, in shaping future energy systems. He also identified energy efficiency, investment in hydrogen and renewable-based fuels, and attention to social aspects such as energy poverty as key priorities for a sustainable and competitive energy future across the region.
The panel confirmed the relevance of the EUSAIR Master Plan of Energy as a shared strategic framework capable of supporting the energy transition, reinforcing regional cooperation and contributing to the long-term resilience and competitiveness of the Adriatic-Ionian Region.