Dramatic drop in gas consumption in Sarajevo Canton

By Almir Bečarević

While Serbia is connecting its gas transmission system with neighboring Bulgaria, thus taking the first steps towards diversifying gas sources, BiH, in addition to not connecting its gas system with Croatia, is also closing mines.

Our neighbors do not dislike gas from Azerbaijan, which will arrive via the new interconnector opened today with Bulgaria; we dislike gas that could arrive from, for example, Qatar, the UAE, or the USA, but now we are also starting to dislike coal, which we are digging less and less for existing thermal power plants, as the current government informs us.

The Canton of Sarajevo is choking on polluted air, and currently, and for days before, we are among the top cities bearing the infamous title of cities with the most polluted air in the world.

We have long been European champions in this category. To better explain to the citizens in KS what is happening, the best example will be what is happening with gas consumption, even though we have the largest number of gas connections in KS since gas was brought to our households.

Gas consumption in the last 4 years:

2020-138,550,000 Sm3
2021-151,250,000 Sm3
2022-141,793,000 Sm3
2023-125,000,000 Sm3

The planned supply of natural gas for 2023 was, according to official data, 152,569,000 Sm3. The lower realized gas supply compared to the planned quantities for 2023 and the quantities supplied in 2021 is approximately 18%.

This is a dramatic drop in gas consumption, and solid fuels are increasingly entering our homes.

It is increasingly difficult to explain to anyone that gas is the only quick solution for clean air, and that personnel policy in the energy sector is the basis for the successful management of any company.

In the Canton of Sarajevo, it can only happen that after destroying gas consumption in KS and bringing the largest energy company to operate at a loss (without creative accounting), you can become the Minister of Finance and manage the canton's finances, even though you were not capable of managing the company.

When you effectively kill your fellow citizens through air pollution, that's your ticket to do the same through the budget because you are qualified for this task. Another question for all of us in KS?

Is it normal for the average salary in KS in the sector that achieved these results to be 1,980 KM, which is almost 60% more than the average salary in FBiH?

Is it normal for those who manage to achieve an 18% drop in gas consumption with the largest number of gas connections ever to be rewarded by now managing our destinies.

Our energy sector and energy policies are on their last legs, and while others are building and opening new supply routes, finding new gas sources, building LNG terminals, we are closing down what little we have, which are the mines.

Finally, Germany, at the same time, is building 5 LNG terminals and has reopened mines that were once closed because the energy stability of the system, and independence in all of this, is the basis for any economic activity.