AMERICAN AMBASSADOR IN BIH MICHAEL MURPHY: ČOVIĆ IS WORKING AGAINST INTERESTS OF USA AND CROATIANS IN BIH WHEN HE OPPOSES PLANS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF PROJECT TO CONNECT GAS NETWORKS OF BIH AND CROATIA

SARAJEVO, MAY 16 (ONASA-Hina) – American Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina Michael Murphy said on Wednesday that HDZ BiH leader Dragan Čović is working against the strategic interests of the USA, but also of Croats in Bosnia and Herzegovina when he opposes the plans for the implementation of the project to connect gas networks BiH and Croatia.
In an interview for N1 television, Murphy said that the “Southern Interconnection” project, connecting the gas network of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia by building a connector from Zagvozd to Posušje, represents a strategic interest of the USA because it brings independence from gas coming from Russia.
“‘Southern interconnection is a very important project and is a vital interest of the USA because we want our partners not to depend on Russia,” said Murphy, adding that this especially applies to countries that are already members of the European Union or want to become one.
In the case of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as he said, “Southern interconnection” has a multiple meaning because in the short term it will mean the creation of new jobs and in the long term the energy independence and stability of the country.
“Čović is blocking it. He says he is trying to help the Croats, but in this case he is not doing that,” said Murphy.
The USA wants the “Southern Interconnection” project to be realized by the company “BH-Gas” whose headquarters are in Sarajevo and which would open a branch office in Mostar for these needs, which they consider the only rational approach, while Čović insists that a new company under control of Croatian political structures in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
For the American administration, this is an unnecessary complication and proof of the plans that Čović wants to control the import of gas to Bosnia and Herzegovina from Croatia, that is, via the liquefied gas terminal on Krk.
Čović recently told Večernje list that he wants the company’s headquarters to be in Mostar, that it be owned by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that their proposal is fully compliant with European directives and the European Energy Community.
Murphy now says that with Čović’s approach, Herzegovina is left without gas, and ultimately only Russia benefits from everything.
This is not the first time that the US administration has criticized Čović on this topic, previously Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his assistant James O’Brien did so. Čović rejects these criticisms.
In an interview on N1, the American ambassador criticized Čović for not criticizing the anti-Dayton rhetoric of RS President Milorad Dodik. “We told him (Čović) that,” said Murphy and added that Čović’s answer was that for now he did not want to question what he had achieved on the basis of good relations with Dodik. (end)