Energy crisis hits heating season across Balkans and Europe

The start of the heating season in Southeast Europe is marked by significant energy challenges, including infrastructure failures, rising costs, and fluctuating inflation rates driven by energy prices.

In Bosnia and Herzegovina, several regions face heating disruptions. In Banjaluka, distribution network failures have left neighborhoods like Borik and Nová Varoš without service. In Vogošća, approximately 700 households remain without heat due to a lack of fuel supplies. Conversely, Tuzla has begun its season with stable prices following significant infrastructure investments.

Zenica faces a potential 106 percent increase in heating bills due to the bankruptcy of the local steelworks, which previously provided cheap industrial gases, forcing a shift to more expensive natural gas.

In Croatia and the wider EU, energy markets are experiencing volatility. While Croatian gas storage levels are high, European gas prices have reached their highest levels since late 2022, influenced by disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz. Eurostat reports that energy remains a primary driver of inflation across the eurozone, which rose to 3.8 percent in September 2026.