Nikšić: Americans forced us to adopt this law, Čović: I agreed with Nikšić to change it

(Patria) - Federal Prime Minister and SDP leader Nermin Nikšić, after today's meeting of representatives of the Trojka and HDZ in Mostar, said that the Law on the Southern Gas Interconnection, which was adopted in the FBiH Parliament, was also discussed.

Nikšić admitted that there was a prior agreement between the Trojka and HDZ on a different content of the law, but it was not adopted by the FBiH Government under pressure, writes Istraga.ba.

- So, at the FBiH Government, after the agreement that Dragan and I had, on the principle of how we would resolve this. Believe me, we would have resolved it in a month or two, in the way we agreed.

We had what we had, pressure, we all know from where, and it changed (the agreement). After our communication, I said, 'Dragan, I'm sorry, this has changed, I can't go back to the beginning.'

He understood. We outvoted the HDZ. That was the first item on the Government's agenda. After that, we had 89 items that we adopted unanimously - said Nikšić.



HDZ President Dragan Čović also confirmed that the Southern Gas Interconnection was discussed and that they will try to reach an agreement with the Trojka on amendments to the existing Law within the next 15 days.

- Namely, the Law (on the Southern Interconnection) has been adopted. Regardless of whether it was adopted in this way or that way, we have it. It is unexecutable, I said that, it will not be implemented for a hundred years.

But our goal is for it to be implemented immediately. We will have to sit down and see what to do to make it potentially realizable - said Čović.

He added that the implementation should now be lowered to the lowest levels of government, meaning that the consent of the authorities in West Herzegovina, Herzegovina-Neretva, and Canton 10 is required.

- Through several cities and municipalities, which all have their jurisdiction and give consent for it. If we don't agree from the start, I'm afraid that by blindly implementing the law, which was adopted or imposed, as you wish, as colleague Nikšić said in other words, we will have a general standstill.

That is not our goal. Our goal is to have a strategic interest in the Southern Gas Interconnection. We will find ways to correct what needs to be corrected so that this project moves forward as soon as possible. We have solutions.

I think that, regarding the Southern Gas Interconnection, we will sit down very soon, which means I am sure within the next 15 days, to make the necessary corrections to the law itself, so that it functions and we no longer dwell on it. That it moves forward at an accelerated pace - emphasizes Čović.



We remind you that the Law on the Southern Gas Interconnection, adopted in the FBiH Parliament in January 2025, stipulates that BH Gas will be the project holder.

Before the adoption of the existing Law, the HDZ tried to push through its proposal according to which BH Gas as a company would cease to exist, and the owner of the existing gas pipeline in FBiH and the one to be built would be a company based in Mostar.

Večernji list wrote in December 2024 that the law was initially agreed upon between the Trojka and HDZ teams, which Nikšić confirmed today. However, it was rejected by the Government after the intervention of US Ambassador Michael Murphy, who pressured the Trojka parties.

According to that law, about which Istraga.ba wrote, it is stated that instead of BH Gas, the project holder would be the Economic company for production and transport of gas "Južna plinska interkonekcija d.o.o. Mostar".