Southern interconnection, gas pipeline which is the Croatian current gas terminal should connect with the gas network in BiH, disappeared from the political radar in BiH.
It seems that the departure of Michae Marphia, the American Ambassador, who went to retirement after the end of his term in BiH, who strongly advocated that this project had been carried out, stopped doing this project to be realized.
However, in Sarajevo Embassy, in Sarajevo, they confirmed us that the country, despite the change not only the administration in Washington, but also the policies of that country, does not give up on this project.
“Southern Interconnection is an important project that will expand the potential markets for American liquefied natural gas (LNG) and the Energy Safety and Commercial Prospects of the United States of America, which includes an increase in the export of LNG, which will use the United States, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Europe sense, “they answered us the question we sent.
One of the connoisseurs in the Energy Sector, which asked us to anonymity, that practically Murphy was the only one who was advocated by the Cantons with Croatia that the distributor of gas would come across the southern interconnection from Sarajevo.
“Murfi had a purely pragmatic approach there. He was taking that job that was the established company to spend this investment. There was nothing against Bosniak interests, but simply this would be most easily realized,” our interlocutor said.
That it was built, the gas pipeline could lead to American gas through the terminal on Krk, but as it comes to current gas, it could be brought from any destination, if there is interest.
Radi, Dragan Covic, President of the HDZ BiH, opposed that this business leads to “BH Gas” because it was a concern for the economic interests of Croats and expressed concern that “BH Gas” could control the gas flow potentially to the damage of Croats.
Only after Murphy threatened the sanctions, the appropriate law in the Federal Parliament was adopted, but by changing the administration in Washington and the departure of Marphia, the pressure that the project would move from the deadline. The HDZ complained that the law was adopted by overthrowing legitimate Croatian representatives, and Murfi explained on several occasions that a similar law has adopted the HDZ earlier, but then in the meantime.
An additional problem with this investment is the economic nature – Russian gas, considering the pipes, is cheaper than that ships, but due to geopolitical reasons, the gas flow is stopped, as it happened a few years ago in Europe. In that case, BiH would not have a second connection and would be forced to stop its gas facilities, especially heating in Sarajevo. In this regard, the problem with the oil industry of Serbia may be observed, which is due to American sanctions, because in Russian ownership, it is threatened by closing.
Although it is now certain that southern interconnections will not be, the light at the end of the tunnel could be a gas strategy at EU level. One of the important gas corridors in construction is the corridor from south to the north of Europe, which passes through the Western Balkans. Serbia will connect to that corridor, so that there will be access to liquid gas from Greek ports and eastern gas connections with Azerbaijan, the country that has some of the largest gas supplies in the world.
If all these projects are realized, BiH will receive a gas from the east side from Russian sources, which will in itself mean energy diversification, write Independent newspapers.
