Plenković to meet Nikšić on Monday: Will the Trojka accept Croatian companies owning the South Interconnection?

(Patria) - Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić and FBiH President Lidija Bradara will meet with Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković in Zagreb on Monday at the Banski Dvori.

The information was published by the Government of our neighboring country. The meeting topic will most likely be the construction of the South Gas Interconnection, writes Istraga.ba.

The meeting comes at a time when the US Chargé d'Affaires in Bosnia and Herzegovina, John Ginkel, has intensified negotiations on the construction of the South Interconnection, which, according to the initial agreement, should be financed, built, and managed by American companies.

The only potential obstacle to such a solution is the President of HDZ BiH, Dragan Čović, who is trying to circumvent the original agreement by insisting that an "association of companies" gain ownership of the company, which would entail an equal ownership ratio between the Croatian company Plinacro and the two federal companies, HZ HB and BH Gas.

According to this idea, Americans would charge a margin for gas distribution. This would effectively give companies controlled by Zagreb and HDZ BiH a 66 percent ownership and controlling stake.

Interestingly, information about such a solution, as if already agreed upon, was initially released on Croatian state television (HRT) in December last year. Appearing on HRT's Studio 4, alleged energy expert Ivica Jakić stated that a "compromise" agreement had already been reached.

- BH Gas is the holder of the transport network in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and there was no company on the Croatian side to manage the network in Herzegovina. Therefore, a compromise solution was reached, which I fully support. A new company has been established.

BH Gas has a 33 percent ownership, as does Elektroprivreda Hrvatske zajednice Herceg Bosne. Plinacro Zagreb will also have 33 percent. The American government has decided that an American company will manage this company, which will build the interconnection and charge its margins. This way, the entire project has stabilized and taken a serious form. This suits both Croats and Bosniaks - said Jakić.

A month later, Jakić contradicted himself, saying that energy experts from Croatia were "proposing" such a solution where ownership would be divided among three companies, although he had previously claimed that an agreement had already been reached.

- They would, therefore, finance the construction of the pipeline, which would be owned by these three companies, but they would also manage it. Managing means appointing their experts to organize the transport, transmission, and commissioning of gas distribution.

In this way, a new company would be created with its ownership and management structure, and the ownership or co-ownership would be from these three companies. I consider this a very good solution because, knowing the situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina well, as I am from those regions, I think this is an ideal solution for all three options - Bosniak, Croat, and American - Jakić said on January 20 for Bljesak.info.

It is clear from the above that Jakić, through Croatian media, acted as a propagandist for Croatian policy, not an energy expert, with the aim of imposing this solution on the American side, which will have the final say in everything.

The synchronization of Croatian state media and policy was confirmed by Čović's almost identical request for ownership to be divided between Plinacro, HZ HB, and BH Gas.

None of this was implied by the agreement with the American side, which clearly states that after the concession period of at least 30 years, the American company will hand over management to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Americans demanded that American companies receive a concession, which could have been resolved by an amendment to the existing Law on the South Gas Interconnection, which was previously adopted by the FBiH Parliament.

Despite this, the Trojka agreed to eliminate BH Gas from the Law itself, but has not yet accepted the request to divide ownership of the future company among the three mentioned companies.

Given that the Trojka is in a state of permanent fear of Croatian politics, there is no doubt that they believe in Zagreb that it is possible to exert additional pressure to accept all the conditions of the Croatian side.

The upcoming meeting in Zagreb will likely be another attempt to pressure the representatives of the Trojka to accept the HDZ's request.