Russia’s aggression against Ukraine leaves a mark on the global scene in all spheres. Sanctions on Russia do not stop. The last one arrived from the European Union. An embargo on Russian oil imports has been imposed. We are interested in where Bosnia and Herzegovina is?
Special attention should be paid to the fact that the oil we use is exclusively imported and that we are committed to following the policy of the European Union. There are currently no active crude oil refineries in our country, so we import petroleum products. In the first place from Croatia, and then Serbia, Italy and Hungary. Although the import of oil to Croatia from Russia has decreased since the beginning of the war in Ukraine, and for its market Croats import mainly from the Mediterranean, it should be reminded that the majority shareholder in the Croatian INA is the Hungarian Mol.
On the other hand, Russia’s Gazprom owns 50 per cent of Serbia’s NiS. So, even a cursory analysis of the market makes it clear that we are dependent on Russian oil. “We use Russian oil the most here, and that is traditionally the case. It is not impossible to provide BiH with oil from other directions, especially from the aspect of transport. There is a huge difference between gas and oil. Oil also comes by ship, we have our own terminals in Ploče, we have all the ports available that can be used for supply, we have rail transport, trucks, tanks “, says Ahmet Egrlić, President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH.
So, if there is a will, there are ways. By signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement and submitting the application for membership, Bosnia and Herzegovina has decided to follow the foreign policy of the European Union. In translation, that would mean that our country would impose an embargo on Russian oil imports.
The message is clear, there is no will: “The RS government has not made such a decision, no BiH institution has made such a decision and will not make them because RS is absolutely against such decisions to be made. We will not enter into conflicts with friendly countries. We perceive this conflict in Russia as a tragic conflict, we want it to end as soon as possible, but we will not side with those countries that are settling accounts with Russia. “, Minister from the Republika Srpska, Petar Dokic said for Federalna.
So, nothing from the embargo of our country to Russia. But the European embargo will certainly have consequences for us as well. There will be no shortage of oil, officials say. But even though it is already expensive, it means it will be even more expensive.
“The European Union did not do this by heart, there are preparations that have been made for months and the European Union knows that it can get oil from other directions, and that is why this decision was made. And that doesn’t worry me, especially because Europe has significant commodity reserves when it comes to oil and oil derivatives, and they will balance that. We have to prevent some things at home, our government must urgently abolish the excise tax on oil and oil derivatives and reduce the price of oil by that amount “, warns Egrlic.
And there is neither agreement on that issue in Bosnia and Herzegovina, nor is there any political will for it. It was promised, announced, calculated and in the end the abolition of the excise tax remained a dead letter on paper. That is, according to the good old practice – stuck in the parliamentary procedure. Therefore, the price of European sanctions against Russia in Bosnia and Herzegovina is paid exclusively by the citizens.
