Branch of Juzni Tok to go toward Republic of Srpska?

Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska Milorad Dodik have signed an agreement with Russian Minister of Energy Sergej Smatko on consideration of the possibility of construction of a branch toward the Republic of Srpska (RS) within the scope of the Juzni Tok gas pipeline project.

In this document, which was signed on September 15 in Moscow, it is stated that both sides are interested in examining the possibilities of supplying RS with the gas from Juzni Tok gas pipeline, while Russian Gazprom should inform the Government of RS on the decision on further realization of the project as soon as the feasibility study is finished.

- That is the first formal document to determine such a thing. We have agreed on Gazprom's participation in the preparation of the feasibility study for that project - Dodik said yesterday in Sarajevo.

RS plans to build a gas pipeline 480 km long in the north of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the capacity of 1.5 billion cubic meters, and to connect it with the branch of Juzni Tok in Serbia.

Smatko said that Russia was interested in including other countries in the Juzni Tok project and added that Moscow would not give up the construction of Juzni Tok, even in the case Ukraine offered attractive terms for joining its gas transport system.