Bosnia moves towards energy independence with new pipeline
The law adopted by the upper house of the parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina facilitates the construction of the "southern connection," a gas pipeline that will deliver gas to this country from Croatia.
The House of Peoples of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (an administrative part of BiH) passed a law on Thursday enabling the construction of the gas pipeline. According to a statement from the House, this development is expected to solve the country's complete dependence on Russian gas.
Currently, Bosnia and Herzegovina is supplied exclusively with Russian gas, which enters the country through the eastern border near Zvornik. The country is situated within Republika Srpska, a largely Serb autonomous region.
The planned southern connection links BiH with the LNG terminal on the Croatian island of Krk, thereby with European gas pipelines. The construction's estimated value is approximately CAD 150 million, and its length is expected to be around 180 kilometres.
With the support of the USA
The Croatian Democratic Union in BiH (HDZ BiH), the most significant political group of Bosnian Croats, has opposed the construction for years. Its leaders do not want the project managed by the BH Gas company, which the government of the Federation of BiH owns.
A compromise was achieved in January of this year when amendments to the company's statute were adopted, permitting subsidiary companies to have their headquarters outside of Sarajevo.
The southern pipeline project received strong support from the USA, which consistently urged HDZ BiH to cease obstructing its implementation.
