On January 16, the lawmakers of Bosnia and Herzegovina voted to connect the country’s gas network to that of Croatia, following pressure from the United States for Bosnia to end its energy dependence on Russia.
Bosnia is entirely dependent on Russian gas, which it receives via the Turkish Stream pipeline – the only functioning pipeline transporting Russian gas to Europe – and through an interconnection with Serbia, to the east of the country.
The U.S. Embassy in Sarajevo welcomed the decision made by Bosnian lawmakers.
“This is an important moment for both Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United States. It is an opportunity to address a national security concern for both countries: Bosnia’s dependence on Russian gas,” said the U.S. Embassy in a statement issued just before the vote.
“The United States does not want any of its friends and partners in Europe to be exposed to possible Russian blackmail, and Bosnia and Herzegovina is part of that,” the statement added.
Bosnia, with a population of 3.5 million, consumed 225 million cubic meters of gas in 2023.
Furthermore, the project will connect Bosnia’s gas system to the liquefied natural gas terminal on the Croatian island, reports REL.
The project also includes the construction of a 180-kilometer pipeline, 160 kilometers of which will be in Bosnia. The construction of this pipeline is estimated to cost around 200 million euros.
Its construction has been debated for years, with the main Bosniak-Croat party demanding that it be built by a new company that would be dominated by the Croat community. However, the project will be managed by an existing public company.
