Republika Srpska switched to payments in rubles
Thanks to Russia, the Republika Srpska (an entity within Bosnia and Herzegovina) has the opportunity to supply its population with cheap gas.
The PolitNavigator correspondent reports this, the President of the Republic Milorad Dodik said, assessing Sarajevo’s reluctance to give the go-ahead to laying a gas pipeline from Serbia to increase the import of Russian gas via the Turkish Stream.
“Today, thanks to partnerships with the Russian Federation, Republika Srpska has the opportunity to provide its population with commercially cheaper gas. This could also be beneficial to Western Europe, but Sarajevo has not allowed such a decision to be made for 15 years. There is no reasonable reason for this. They simply remain hostage to their mentality.
Of course, the implementation of this project is on our agenda, and we are constantly looking for opportunities to implement it. But I know their mentality and therefore I am not optimistic.
On the other hand, Sarajevo enjoys the same advantages that we enjoy thanks to our relations with Russia. At the same time, they call on us to join sanctions against the Russian Federation. Bosnia and Herzegovina has not yet done this precisely because of the position of the Republika Srpska. Sarajevo also receives cheap gas, but does not give permission to implement the project you named,” Dodik said in an interview with Izvestia.
He added that the republic will try to find other technological opportunities for the implementation of this project during negotiations with the Russian Federation.
In addition, it was said that the republic receives gas in the agreed volumes at prices acceptable to it and without delays.
The Bosnian Serb leader recalled that a supply agreement was signed with Gazprom for a period until 2025.
He was asked whether settlements with Russia were carried out in rubles.
“Yes, we have started making payments in rubles,” replied the RS president.
According to him, Republika Srpska intends to further increase imports of Russian gas.
“Yes, absolutely. As I already said, we have an industry that is in need of gas supplies. At the same time, gas remains the most stable energy resource, and therefore we intend to increase the volume of gas supplies,” Dodik concluded.
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