The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (FBiH) has adopted a draft law on gas, the first comprehensive piece of legislation regulating the natural gas sector in FBiH, one of the two entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The law on gas would be the fifth energy law adopted in the last three years, according to FBiH Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry Vedran Lakić.
The new regulation provides greater protection for natural gas consumers, the right to clearer information on prices and supply conditions, and the ability to change natural gas suppliers more easily, he explained.
The law will strengthen security of supply during crises, introduce independent regulatory oversight of the gas sector, and create the conditions for the development of new gas infrastructure and the expansion of the gas network.
Lakić: The law introduces clear rules, strengthens the protection of consumers, and creates the conditions for a more secure and stable supply
The regulation also aligns FBiH’s gas sector with European rules and standards.
“To date, the Federation of BiH has not had a law that comprehensively regulates this area. With this law, we are introducing clear rules, strengthening the protection of citizens and creating the conditions for a safer and more stable supply of natural gas in the future,” Lakić asserted.
Of note, Lakić previously said that natural gas would become a key energy source in the future. He believes it is necessary to increase coal production and develop gas infrastructure to ensure FBiH’s energy stability.
Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia recently signed an intergovernmental agreement to build their Southern Gas Interconnection. The country is currently supplied with gas via Serbia, and this project would provide it with an alternative via Croatia and its liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Krk.
The law also applies to biogas
According to the Government of FBiH, the regulation will be submitted to the Parliament of the Federation of BiH for adoption.
The draft partially transposes the provisions of the European Union’s Directive 2009/73/EC of July 13, 2009, on common rules for the internal market for natural gas.
The provisions of the draft also apply to biogas and other types of gas, if they can be technically and safely transported through natural gas systems.
