Hina - Croatia's government strongly supports the Southern Interconnection gas pipeline project with Bosnia and Herzegovina, seeing it as key to both countries’ energy security, Deputy Prime Minister Branko Bačić said on Friday.
Speaking in Široki Brijeg, BiH, Bačić said the project was further justified by the current energy crisis and would improve BiH’s gas supply, adding that Croatia’s LNG terminal on the island of Krk would bolster stability.
BiH authorities in recent weeks amended legislation naming U.S.-based AAFS Infrastructure and Energy as the developer and operator of the pipeline, estimated to be worth around €1.5 billion. The company is linked to individuals close to U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration.
Croatia and BiH are expected to sign an agreement on the Southern Interconnection on the sidelines of the Three Seas Initiative summit in Dubrovnik next week.
BiH currently relies entirely on Russian gas delivered via the TurkStream pipeline, underscoring the need to diversify supply sources. Once completed, the new link should enable imports from Croatia’s Krk LNG terminal.
Bačić, who also serves as a vice president of Croatia's ruling HDZ party, urged Croats in BiH to back HDZ BiH candidate Darijana Filipović for the Croat seat in the country’s tripartite Presidency, saying she had the strongest chance of winning.
Five Croat opposition parties said they would field their own candidate.
Željko Komšić has been elected to the Croat presidency seat four times, largely with votes from the more numerous Bosniak electorate.
Bačić is due to meet Croat officials in BiH later on today.
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