As of October 1, natural gas in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is 12 percent more expensive at the wholesale level. The new price for households amounts to 1,401 convertible marks per cubic meter including VAT, and is applied retroactively from the beginning of October. This is the fourth increase in gas prices since the beginning of this year.
Energoinvest states that the Russian supplier requested a purchase price increase of 16.21 percent. On the initiative of Energoinvest, which was accepted by the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the growth of the wholesale price according to distributors is limited to 12 percent, with the aim of reducing costs for households and the economy. Final prices for consumers are formed by distributors.
According to data from Sarajevogas, households that consume 100 cubic meters of gas per month will pay 13.95 marks more. For consumption of 200 cubic meters, the increase is 27.90 marks, while households that consume 300 cubic meters will pay 41.85 marks more.
Since gas is primarily used for heating in many households, consumption during the winter is significantly higher than in the summer. Therefore, the actual amount of the bill increase will depend on consumption during the heating season.
Energy expert Almir Bečarević believes that the new price increase could have been avoided. He pointed out that there was room to reduce the margin within Energoinvest’s cost calculations, and questioned why the relevant ministries did not consider the possibility of such an intervention.
Sabina Silajdžić, a professor at the Faculty of Economics in Sarajevo, suggests that the impact on gas prices could be mitigated through diplomatic efforts, whereas the scope for action via market mechanisms remains limited. She also warns of the potential for further price hikes should the cost of energy sources – including electricity – continue to rise.
According to her assessment, the direct increase in gas prices in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina affects a relatively small number of households, as a large portion of consumers rely on other energy sources. Nevertheless, any further rise in energy costs could lead to an additional increase in heating expenses during the winter.
