Nikšić: No other company for Southern Interconnection is an option, secession is out of the question, any attempts from RS will be in vain

(Patria) - Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Nermin Nikšić, responding to journalists' questions at a press conference in Sarajevo about the coalition at the state level and the Southern Interconnection, said that coalition relations are not at their best, but that discussions must take place, that compromises must be made, but not at any cost.

He said that the Government of the Federation is preparing a law on the construction of the Southern Interconnection gas pipeline and that it is clear that the project will be under the umbrella of BH Gas, that no other company is an option.

He stated that there are no obstructions from the HDZ in the FBiH Government regarding the Southern Interconnection.

"Every ministry is autonomous in making its decisions, I will check what is happening, I heard from the media that the Federal Ministry of Spatial Planning did not issue urban planning consent to BH Gas for the Southern Interconnection project. It is possible that BH Gas's request was premature for urban planning consent, but I do not know the reason. The law is in a fairly advanced stage, we have taken it upon ourselves to resolve the issue of amendments that were previously sent. The law was already in parliamentary procedure and was adopted in the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament. We are looking for the Government to incorporate all amendments into the text of the law, to remove some ambiguities. I will not give deadlines. In the shortest possible time, we will have the law on the agenda of the FBiH Government and send it to Parliament. There can be no new companies, it must be under the umbrella of the public company BH Gas," said Nikšić.

He touched upon coalition relations at the state level.

"It is completely clear that coalition relations at the BiH level are not at their best after the imposition of the High Representative's decision on the Election Law. The messages from the RS were clear. We are working, we are talking, and you see how they eventually agreed to participate in the upcoming Local Elections. We have a problem with the delay of some decisions when it comes to the Council of Ministers of BiH, and that is the biggest problem with that tranche. It cannot happen until the Budget of Institutions is adopted so that we can get support. The budget has been harmonized, but it is stuck in the Ministry because we have some other unharmonized issues, the distribution of shares, etc. Blackmail and conditioning lead nowhere, and citizens are deprived of funds that could be spent on projects," said Nikšić.

"We are more in favor of strengthening state institutions, while partners would rather strengthen entity institutions. Compromise is needed and it implies that everyone gives something up, but we are not ready to cross lines at the expense of citizens, no matter how much we want the EU path," said Nikšić.

Asked about Milorad Dodik's announcement that he will send a proposal for the "disassociation" of the RS and FBiH, i.e., the secession of the RS, Nikšić said that he has not seen any proposal yet, but that they should not even bother sending it from the RS, stating that any disassociation of BiH is out of the question.

"This is an announcement that has no chance. BiH is unified, integral, and that is out of the question. If this is also one of those statements from the RS, let it pass. Secession is out of the question, they will try in vain to send something," said the Prime Minister.

He could not specify when the next meeting should be held.

"People who have been at war have sat together. We must sit down and negotiate."