Forto and Džindić without agreement after gas price hike in FBiH

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Talks were held today regarding the nearly 30 percent increase in gas prices at a meeting of two teams, the cantonal one led by Prime Minister Edin Forto and the federal one led by the Minister of Energy, Industry and Mining Nermin Džindić, along with representatives of the federal Ministry of Trade, as well as the heads of BH Gas, Sarajevogas and Toplane companies.

“I cannot say that we agreed on most things because the issue of procurement, transport and formation of the final gas price is much more complex than can be noticed through numerous headlines in the media. We agreed to continue talking,” Prime Minister Forto stated in his address.

One of the conclusions of this meeting is an agreement to organize as soon as possible a meeting at the level of cantonal and federal finance ministers to discuss the method of closing the old cantonal debt to the Russian supplier Gazprom and create a better negotiating position so that the current gas price of $260 per thousand cubic meters can be lower.

A diagram presented by Minister Džindić showed the share of all costs in the gas price on the market: 74 percent is the price BH Gas pays to Gazprom via Energoinvest, 11 percent are transport costs through Hungary, 9 percent is the transport cost through Serbia, 1 percent is Energoinvest's cost, 1 percent is the transport cost through the RS entities, and 4 percent is the cost of maintenance, depreciation and administration of BH Gas.

The proposal for the Federal Government to bear part of the cost for Sarajevo's economy and citizens that will arise from the gas price increase did not receive a positive response from the representatives of the Federation of BiH, because, as was pointed out, this is not possible since the Federation's share in the gas price is only 4 percent.

According to today's agreement, Minister Džindić announced the entry of an independent commission into BH Gas, Sarajevogas and Toplane companies.

In his words, the burden on Sarajevo's economy from high gas costs should be sought in the methodologies and tariff procedures of Sarajevogas and Toplane, which need to be changed in order to achieve a lower gas price for end consumers.

Pending the adoption of a state law on gas that would regulate this area, the Government of the Federation and the Cantonal Government will continue the talks started today because there are elements that can be negotiated and harmonized in order to reach the most acceptable solutions for the citizens and economy of Sarajevo Canton.