BiH has not done anything yet, although it had got two months deadline to achieve part of obligations from the Contract for Energy Community for South East Europe so it is a matter of time when it will be punished because of non achieving its obligations. This may significantly influence the electricity exports in which Republika Srpska is focused on. RS has recently changed a Gas Law and adjusted in to EU directives, while FBiH does not have this type of law yet and it is waiting on outcome of situation about membership and conditions of Energy Community.
Mirko Sarovic, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economy Relations in BiH will visit the seat of Vienna Energy Association, because of the problems and threats that it will be excluded from Energy Community membership, and talk to Janez Kopac, Director of this Association that gathers all EU members and majority of potential candidates.
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economy Relations of BiH confirmed that Sarovic will travel to Vienna and it is being unofficially found out that Minister will try to prolong the contract for membership until 2020 and give strong guarantees that BiH will follow the road of achieving overtaken obligations, despite BiH does not accomplish its obligations.
To remind, BiH obligate to achieve overtaken obligations when it became a member of Energy Association. Among these obligations is arranging gas and electricity market in BiH.
Next to “execution” from Energy Association what was already announced, veto on electricity export from BiH to EU would be the worst thing.
“There are several processes that are launched against BiH because of not accomplishing obligations. One of possibilities is a threat with veto on electricity export from BiH and other radical measures. These are the most important questions to solve”, Mirza Kusljagic, Chairman of Commision for Foreign Business of BiH’s Parliament Representative Department, confirmed.
He stressed that he does not believe that BiH will be excluded from EU membership, but that it is still alarming that BiH does not accomplish its obligations and it is the worst from this point of view.
Subject Session of Foreign Trade Ministry and BiH’s Economy Relations, Commission for External Trade Policy, Customs, Traffic and Communication of People’s Department in BiHwill be held at the end of September because of the threats for exclusion and sanctions against BiH that reflected on economy picture of BiH.
RS believes that contract does not predict bringing framework law for gas on BiH level, while FBiH claims on the other side that this is an obligation like settlement of one operator and gas regulator.
RS has recently changed a Gas Law and adjusted in to EU directives, while FBiH does not have this type of law yet and it is waiting on outcome of situation about membership and conditions of Energy Community.
Source; Serbia Energy See desk/BiH gov