KOŠARAC: EU ANNOUNCEMENT ON BAN ON RUSSIAN GAS BY 2028 ABSOLUTELY UNACCEPTABLE

VIENNA, DECEMBER 18 /SRNA/ – Deputy Chair of the Council of Ministers Staša Košarac stated that at today’s meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Energy Community in Vienna he warned about the absolute unacceptability of the EU’s announcement on banning the use of Russian gas by 2028.

Košarac told SRNA that there are no guarantees that the “platform called the EU” will even exist by 2028, nor what such a ban would mean for gas supplies currently reaching the Republika Srpska and being transmitted onward to Sarajevo. “Does this mean that the EU is preventing gas supplies to the Republika Srpska and Sarajevo?!” Košarac asked. He also stressed that it is unclear to him why the eastern new interconnection is being disputed, pointing out that it is the only functional option for BiH, part of whose capacity could also be allocated to FBiH. “We support the southern interconnection as well, but we believe that the issue of the eastern new interconnection must also be resolved. If we secure multiple interconnections, citizens and the economy in both the Republika Srpska and FBiH will benefit more,” Košarac said. Košarac assessed that the EU’s announcements about banning the use of Russian gas are completely inexplicable. “The implementation of the southern interconnection has still not formally or administratively begun, and no one knows how much time will be needed before gas is available,” Košarac said. He pointed out that experts estimate gas supplied via the southern interconnection could be four or five times more expensive than the current gas supplied from the Russian Federation. “Today we have the cheapest gas in Europe, thanks to an agreement between President /of Russia Vladimir/ Putin and President Milorad Dodik to supply BiH with the cheapest gas in Europe. All citizens of BiH benefit from such an agreement,” Košarac noted.