Bosnia to hold talks on gas pipeline from Russia

According to an interview with state news agency RIA that was published on Monday, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina has decided to start talks for constructing a gas pipeline to transport gas from Russia.

When visiting Moscow, Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik may speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin about gas pricing and a new pipeline, a government official told news agency RIA on Monday.

The EU, which objected to the official’s trip to Moscow during the time of the Ukraine conflict, has already voiced its severe disapproval of the planned visit, which RIA said may take place on Tuesday.

The meeting will also cover the topic of gas prices. “As with friendly nations, I can predict that the best price will likely be granted,” according to Dusko Perovic, chairman of the Republika Srpska’s representative office in Russia, who was quoted by RIA.

Bosnia, which is ethnically fragmented, lacks a coherent foreign policy position, and Dodik continues to have close ties to Vladimir Putin.

Along with the independent Bosniak-Croat Federation, Dodik’s Serb Republic is a province that makes up Bosnia; the two are connected by a feeble central authority.

He added that Bosnia’s government had consented to start talks with Serbia about constructing a new gas pipeline to transport Russian gas.

Through Serbia and Bulgaria, Bosnia obtains Russian gas from the TurkStream gas network.