Krišto: BiH Council of Ministers fully supports the Southern Interconnection project

(Patria) - Chairperson of the BiH Council of Ministers Borjana Krišto issued a statement to, as she stated, accurately and fully inform the public regarding the realization of the "Southern Interconnection of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia" project.

"As inaccurate information and misinterpretations have appeared in the media today, as well as in previous days, I want to emphasize that at its 103rd session, held on February 25, the BiH Council of Ministers discussed the Southern Gas Interconnection project as a strategic project that will ensure energy stability.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina fully supports the Southern Gas Interconnection project, the realization of which requires full coordination of actions with other levels of government in Bosnia and Herzegovina," Krišto stated.

In line with this, she further stated, the BiH Council of Ministers, at its 11th session held on May 11, 2023, reviewed the Draft Basis for conducting negotiations for the conclusion of an agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia on the construction of the "Southern Interconnection of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia" gas pipeline and gave full support to this project.

"The BiH Council of Ministers then called on the Government of the Federation of BiH to urgently propose a legal solution to the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in order to accelerate activities for the realization of the 'Southern Interconnection of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia' project.

For the continuation of the BiH Council of Ministers' activities, it is necessary for the Parliament of the Federation of BiH to urgently adopt amendments to the Law on the Southern Interconnection BiH and Croatia Gas Pipeline, in order to adapt the project realization model and enable the participation of foreign investors through concessions or public-private partnerships.

Based on these amendments, the Government of the Federation of BiH should submit an initiative to conclude an agreement with the Republic of Croatia without delay, as stipulated by the Law on the Procedure for Concluding and Executing International Treaties.

Also, for the full information of the public, it is important to emphasize that on February 2, 2026, the BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations sent material to the procedure that is almost identical to what the BiH Council of Ministers considered in 2023. The material in question is not aligned with new activities in the FBiH.

However, although it is an almost identical text, the material, even in this form, due to the lack of alignment of the proposed conclusions and the Draft Basis, is not ready for further procedure, and corrections need to be made and a positive opinion from the Legislative Office obtained, about which the Ministry has been informed.

The 'Southern Interconnection of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia' project will ensure energy stability for Bosnia and Herzegovina through an alternative gas supply route, leading from the LNG terminal on the Croatian island of Krk," Krišto added.