Lakić: Natural gas is key energy source for future

Natural gas will become a key energy source, according to Vedran Lakić, Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is one of the two political entities of BiH.

Vedran Lakić stressed the importance of natural gas for the future of the energy sector in BiH, keeping in mind that the coal phaseout is on the agenda.

Gas is and will remain an important energy source in the Federation of BiH, especially as an energy bridge towards a sustainable future, he said at the Gas Forum, organized by the Sarajevogas utility.

He said a plan for the three additional gas interconnections would soon be presented. The pipelines would ensure the security of supply and enable further development of the gas network in BiH, Lakić added. He didn’t provide any details on the projects.

The Federation of BiH is currently working on three gas interconnections

Currently, BiH is receiving gas only from one direction, via the Turkish Stream gas pipeline. It brings gas from Russia, via the Black Sea, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Serbia. For several years, BiH has been planning to build the Southern Interconnection, which would connect it with Croatia and enable alternative routes.

In January, the pipeline project finally got the green light from the Parliament of FBiH. The link would enter the country near Posušje and reach Travnik via Tomislavgrad, Kupres, and Bugojno. In the second phase, the plan is to expand it to Mostar, Livno, and Jajce.

The focus of the ministry in 2025 and 2026 will be on gas and oil

Lakić now stressed the ministry is working intensively with BH-Gas on the preparation of the three gas interconnections.

“Activities to improve gasification should have started ten years ago, and the focus of the ministry in 2025 and 2026 will be on gas and oil,” Lakić underlined, local media reported.

He previously said the goal is to bring gas to numerous local communities, to enable entrepreneurs and citizens to use it.

Forum participants agreed that natural gas has a future in BiH, especially for reducing air pollution and sustainable economic development.