Murphy warns FBiH Government and politicians: Get out of the way of the Southern Gas Interconnection project

(Patria) - The Energy Summit 2024 is being held today in Neum, under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH and regulatory energy bodies, with the support of international institutions, discussing the reform of BiH's energy sector.

Among the participants who addressed the gathering was the US Ambassador to BiH, Michael Murphy, who called for strengthening the country's energy security and also addressed the project of building the Southern Gas Interconnection.

“This year, from the summit, I am sending an urgent message, time is running out to implement the key reforms needed to correct years of mismanagement, corruption, and neglect that have left BiH's energy sector in a terrible state, weak and dysfunctional,” Murphy stated at the beginning of his address.

He emphasized the need to strengthen the country's energy security, stressing that this must be done immediately.

“Delayed regulations, corruption, dependence on Russian gas, old infrastructure, and upcoming carbon taxes are just some of the urgent challenges threatening the country's energy security in the coming decades and which could derail its energy sector in the coming decades,” Murphy said.

He also pointed out the need to diversify natural gas supply sources to avoid the most harmful consequences of what he called “Russian energy coercion over Europe”.

He called on the FBiH Government to adopt the Law on the Southern Interconnection and apply for funding for this project before the opportunity to build new gas infrastructure is “lost forever,” and urged politicians not to block this project.

“Politicians driven by their own interests must get out of the way of this project, which enjoys broad consensus, and which will ensure an alternative source of natural gas, open new well-paid jobs, enable the economic revitalization of Herzegovina, and support the economic growth of the entire Federation,” the ambassador emphasized.

He also pointed to the need for energy reforms at the state level based on clear technical and economic principles.

“A secure energy sector can be the foundation of a stable and prosperous economy and society. BiH can achieve this security before it's too late, if its leaders commit to urgent action, integrity, cooperation, and the implementation of governance that puts citizens first,” the ambassador said and concluded:

“The clock is ticking, and now is the time for action.”