The island of Krk already receives American gas – Copyright AFP Denis LOVROVIC
Croatia and Bosnia signed a deal on Tuesday to build a major gas pipeline backed by investors close to US President Donald Trump, aiming to cut Sarajevo’s dependence on Russian gas.
The pipeline will connect Bosnia to the European gas network, particularly the liquefied natural gas terminal on Croatia’s northern island of Krk, which receives significant volumes of US gas.
Hailing it as a “big step forward”, Bosnian Prime Minister Borjana Kristo also thanked US partners.
“I have signed with Croatia the Southern Interconnection Agreement, increasing energy security and diversification of supply,” Kristo said in a post on X.
The agreement was also signed by her Croatian counterpart Andrej Plenkovic on the sidelines of a Three Seas Initiative summit in Dubrovnik.
The agreement stipulates cooperation between the two countries to build a gas interconnection on both sides of the border.
The project is being pushed by AAFS Infrastructure and Energy, run by Jesse Binnall, a former lawyer for President Trump, and Joseph Flynn, the brother of retired General Michael Flynn.
The latter served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term.
But the proposal has prompted a warning from Brussels, with the EU’s ambassador to Bosnia, which is a candidate for membership, writing a letter urging the country to “carefully consider its obligations” when signing contracts for energy projects.
In addition to a pipeline, the $1.5 billion project would build gas-fired power plants to reduce coal-based electricity generation in a country badly affected by air pollution.
Construction dates have not yet been announced, but the project is considered to be of great importance to Bosnia, which will be affected by the EU’s ban on Russian gas imports that will come into effect in 2027.
