The US Embassy in Sarajevo issued a detailed statement addressing what it described as "outrageous claims" made in a recent policy brief regarding US policy on the Southern Gas Interconnection (SGI). The Embassy clarified its support for the project, emphasizing that it aims to strengthen regional energy security in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) and the Western Balkans. Additionally, the project is expected to create jobs in Herzegovina and provide businesses with access to reliable energy sources that foster growth and prosperity.

The Embassy stated that the United States has been working for years to reduce BiH’s dependence on Russian gas. Officials began collaborating in early 2020 with the previous Federation of BiH (FBiH) government and international partners to draft framework legislation enabling the SGC. This initiative has consistently included Croat representatives, including members of HDZ BiH, and incorporated Croat interests, the Embassy stressed.

Legislation for the SGI designated BH Gas, the sole gas Transmission System Operator (TSO) in the FBiH, as the project investor. According to the Embassy, HDZ BiH members supported this legislation on three separate occasions in the FBiH parliament. Claims that the legislation ignored Croat interests were described as lacking credibility.

By late 2021, the SGI legislation was nearing final parliamentary approval. However, Dragan Covic abruptly blocked the project and began insisting on the establishment of a new TSO, the statement explained. Since then, the Embassy noted, numerous efforts to address Covic’s concerns have been met with further objections. The Embassy accused Covic of prioritizing the creation of a company he could control for personal political and economic gain over the interests of Croats in BiH or energy independence for the country.

The Embassy stated that Covic’s obstruction has prolonged BiH’s dependence on Russian gas. It underscored that the US has consistently supported the rights and protections of all BiH’s constituent peoples, as outlined in the Dayton Peace Agreement, and criticized ethnonationalism from political leaders of all ethnic groups.

The statement concluded with a call to action for FBiH parliamentarians, who are set to vote on the SGI project. The Embassy urged lawmakers to prioritize the interests of BiH citizens and their future prosperity rather than aligning with Russian energy dominance. The vote, according to the Embassy, represents a pivotal moment to either advance BiH’s economic and energy independence or continue its reliance on Russia.