US Embassy strongly criticizes Čović: He is only interested in creating a company he can control for his own benefit

(Patria) - The US Embassy in Sarajevo announced tonight that it has received numerous inquiries from media outlets regarding "unprecedented claims made in a recent report on US policy regarding the South Interconnection".

"We thought it would be useful to explain our support for a project that will improve regional energy security in BiH and the Western Balkans, create jobs in Herzegovina, and provide access to new, reliable energy sources that will help business development and economic growth.

The United States and the Embassy have been working diligently for many years to end BiH's complete dependence on Russian gas. Nothing here is happening at the last minute.

In early 2020, US experts began collaborating with officials of the previous FBiH Government, as well as others in the international community, on developing a legal framework that would enable the advancement of the South Interconnection project.

These activities have always included Croats, including individuals from HDZ BiH, and Croatian interests were taken into account. The law, from the beginning, stipulated that BH Gas, the sole operator of the gas transport system in FBiH, would be the investor of the project.

Moreover, members of HDZ BiH in the FBiH Government and FBiH Parliament supported the law - they voted for it in parliament on three occasions. Therefore, there is no credibility to the claims that the law does not respect Croatian interests.

https://t.co/WZGdY1dJ8j

— US Embassy Sarajevo (@USEmbassySJJ) December 11, 2024

The South Interconnection Law was approaching the final stage of parliamentary procedure at the end of 2021, and if it had been adopted then, FBiH would have been three years closer to eliminating the danger of dependence on Russian gas.

Instead, Dragan Čović suddenly blocked the project, demanding a new gas transport operator. Since then, all parties in FBiH have worked together to resolve Mr. Čović's alleged concerns regarding the law that his party had previously supported.

Every time FBiH-based parties proposed a solution, Mr. Čović would present another false claim to justify the continued obstruction.

The sad truth is that Mr. Čović has stopped caring about the interests of Croats in BiH, if he ever did, when he decided to arbitrarily block the South Interconnection project.

Mr. Čović is only interested in creating a company that he can control for his own political and economic benefit.

Those who are willing to support the South Interconnection project only if it benefits Mr. Čović personally, do not support Croats in BiH and are not interested in ending BiH's dependence on Russian gas. Both have been the goal of the US regarding the South Interconnection project from the beginning.

The United States has strongly supported all constituent peoples and citizens of BiH for over 30 years, and the Embassy consistently demonstrates this through its work, including activities in the last four years.

Indeed, we are criticized for supporting the protection of constituent peoples within the framework of the Dayton Peace Agreement and the implementation of the BiH Constitutional Court's decision in the Ljubić case.

We oppose the destructive ethno-nationalism of political leaders, whether they are Bosniaks, Croats, or Serbs, as well as corrupt ethno-nationalist support networks that endanger the democratic and economic future of BiH citizens, whether they live in Banja Luka, Mostar, or Sarajevo.

In this case, Mr. Čović openly rejects opportunities at every step to advance the South Interconnection project, which only prolongs BiH's dependence on Russia.

If there is anyone responsible for the continuation of Russian energy dominance in BiH, it is Mr. Čović.

FBiH parliamentarians have the opportunity tomorrow to change this and enable economic benefits for the citizens of FBiH, including Croats. The question for them and others is whether they will support the citizens of BiH and their future prosperity, or if they will vote for Russia and its interests," stated the US Embassy in Sarajevo.