Bosnia and Herzegovina's Foreign Minister, Elmedin Konakovic, has stated that there are no obstacles to the construction of the Southern Interconnection gas pipeline proceeding in accordance with the law, which has been approved by both houses of the Federation BiH Parliament. Pročitaj više

After the House of Peoples of the Parliament of the BiH Federation entity in Bosnia and Herzegovina approved the gas pipeline law on Thursday, the project can now move forward. The pipeline will connect Bosnia to Croatia's gas network with implementation assigned to the Sarajevo-based company BH Gas. However, Bosnian Croat representatives have deemed this arrangement unacceptable.

Konakovic asserted that the legal conditions for the project’s realisation have now been met and that work should continue.

“We now have the necessary legal framework, which is very important,” Konakovic said in an interview with FTV, the television network of the BiH Federation. He noted that part of the adopted solution involves restructuring BH Gas, which he claims addresses the concerns raised by the Croats.

He added that the three parties within the ruling coalition had proposed this model to the Croat HDZ BiH party as a partner from the outset, but it had not received a positive response.

“They rejected the entire process, insisting on the creation of a new ethnic-based company. We do not agree to that, our predecessors did, which is why you have Croat Post, Croat Electric company, HZHB, and other such companies. We have no objection to a branch of BH Gas being based in Mostar,” Konakovic stated.

Commenting on the government crisis in Bosnia and Herzegovina due to stalled legislation necessary for progress on the country's European integration path, Konakovic, who is also the leader of the ruling People and Justice (NiP) party, said that several scenarios are now possible.

One possibility is that Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik's party ceases its blockades, while another is restructuring the ruling majority, either by removing Dodik's Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) from power or by withdrawing the “Troika.”

Konakovic called on HDZ BiH to use its good relations with Dodik and SNSD to help unblock the legislative process necessary for opening negotiations with the European Union. “This will be a major test for HDZ BiH,” he concluded.