FBiH MP warns against delays in Southern gas interconnection project after US meetings

Masic told FENA that his visit was initiated by Arcadia University in Pennsylvania, where he took part in roundtable discussions with professors and students on the challenges facing modern democracies. The second leg of his visit took place in Washington, D.C., where he met with US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia Brendan Hanrahan and his deputy, Mark Fleming.

“We also met with representatives from both the Republican and Democratic parties in Congress and the Senate, even though the government was in lockdown due to the budget deadlock. Despite that, they made the time to meet with us,” Masic said.

He emphasized that the meetings reaffirmed the United States’ continued commitment to Bosnia’s peace, stability, sovereignty, and territorial integrity, priorities that remain central to Washington’s regional policy.

“That was one of the most important messages we heard directly from senior U.S. officials,” Masic noted. “We also discussed ongoing political developments in BiH. While I can’t share all the details publicly, I returned from the US much more optimistic.”

The MP highlighted the shared interest in speeding up the Southern Gas Interconnection, which would give Bosnia an alternative supply route to Russian gas, through Croatia.

“This is a project of regional significance. Right now, all gas entering BiH comes from Russia, which makes it crucial to implement this joint US–BiH project as soon as possible,” he warned. “Any delay or obstruction by irresponsible individuals or groups could have serious, unforeseeable consequences, not just economically, but politically as well.”

He underlined that the U.S. remains deeply engaged in Bosnia and the wider region, continuing to support democratic institutions and reforms. He also dismissed disinformation spread by some political actors in BiH concerning US logistical involvement.

“Citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, regardless of their ethnicity or where they live, have no reason to doubt the US presence and its support for democratic progress,” Masic said.

On the technical side, he noted that both the United States and Croatia have already met their obligations for the project. “What remains now is the signing of an intergovernmental agreement,” he said, stressing that the Federation of BiH, the state institutions, and the relevant cantons must accelerate the permitting process.

“Bosnia and Herzegovina is practically the only country in the region without an alternative to Russian gas. That leaves us at an economic, strategic, and political disadvantage. Building this interconnection must be our top priority,” Masic concluded, recalling EU announcements that Russian gas deliveries could soon be halted and that BiH is committed to aligning with EU foreign and security policy standards.