Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Fully Supports South Gas Interconnection Project

For the purpose of a full and accurate public information as to implementation of the” South Interconnection of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republic of Croatia”, against media misinformation and misinterpretation yesterday and today, I wish to stress that the Council of Ministers of BIH discussed the South Gas Interconnection at its 103rd session of February 25, as a strategic project to secure energy stability.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina fully supports the South Gas Interconnection Project, the implementation of which requires a full harmonisation of actions with other authority levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In that regard, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina considered a Draft Platform for negotiations on a agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia for development of a gas pipeline “South Interconnection of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republic of Croatia” and granted its full support to the project. The Council of Ministers of BIH urged the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina to propose urgently to the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina a legal solution, for the purpose of acceleration of activities for implementation of the “South Interconnection Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republic of Croatia” project.

For the Council of Ministers of BIH to continue its activities it is necessary for the Parliament of the Federation of BIH to adopt urgently amendment law on gas pipeline Sout Interconnection BIH and Republic of Croatia, for the aim of harmonisation of the project implementation model and enabling participation of foreign investors by way of concession and public-private partnership. Based on these amendments, the Government of the Federation of BIH should table an initiative without delay for conclusion of an agreement with the Republic of Croatia, as defined under the Law on Conclusion and Execution of International Treaties.

Also, for a full public information, it should be emphasised that the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BIH sent to a material to a procedure in February 2, 2026, which is almost identical to the one the Council of Ministers considered in 2023. That material was not reconciled with new activities in the Federation of BIH. However, as it is about almost identical text, material in this form, due to discrepancy between proposed conclusions and Draft Platform, is not ready for further procedure, so corrections need to be made and positive opinion obtained from the Legislation Office, od which the Ministry was notified.

The “South Interconnection” Project of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia will secure energy stability to Bosnia and Herzegovina through an alternative gas supply track, leading from LNG terminal on the Croatian Island Krk. (end)