Croatia, Bosnia agree on major gas pipeline project

Croatia and Bosnia on Tuesday signed an agreement to construct a major gas pipeline supported by investors linked to US President Donald Trump, with the goal of reducing Sarajevo’s dependence on Russian gas.

The planned pipeline will connect Bosnia to the European gas network, including Croatia’s northern island of Krk, where a liquefied natural gas terminal receives significant volumes of US-sourced gas, News.Az reports, citing AFP.

Bosnian Prime Minister Borjana Krišto described the agreement as a “major step forward” and also thanked US partners. In a post on X, she said, “I signed with Croatia the Southern Interconnection Agreement, boosting energy security and supply diversification.”

The agreement was also signed by Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković on the sidelines of the Three Seas Initiative summit held in Dubrovnik.

It outlines cooperation between the two countries to develop a gas interconnection across their border.

The project is being promoted by AAFS Infrastructure and Energy, a company led by Jesse Binnall, a former lawyer to US President Donald Trump, and Joseph Flynn, the brother of retired US general Michael Flynn, who served as national security adviser during Trump’s first term.

However, the proposal has drawn caution from Brussels. The EU’s ambassador to Bosnia—currently a candidate for EU membership—wrote a letter urging the country to “carefully consider its obligations” when entering contracts for energy projects.

In addition to the pipeline, the $1.5 billion project includes plans to build gas-fired power plants aimed at reducing coal-based electricity generation in a country facing serious air pollution challenges.

No construction timeline has been announced yet, but the project is considered highly significant for Bosnia, particularly as it prepares for the EU’s planned ban on Russian gas imports in 2027.

News.Az 

By Nijat Babayev