Minister: Bosnia and Herzegovina could become new gas market for Azerbaijan

Bosnia and Herzegovina could become a new gas market for Azerbaijan, with potential opportunities for cooperation in the sector and wider energy transition efforts, Vedran Lakić, the country’s Minister of Energy, Mining and Industry, has stated.

In an interview with Report, Lakić made it clear that Sarajevo is interested in expanding energy partnerships and views Azerbaijan as a potential supplier as it develops its gas market, Caliber.Az reports.

He noted that Bosnia and Herzegovina is currently undergoing a major energy transition, with key projects focused on expanding and modernising its gas network. Opening the market to new suppliers, he said, is a priority and could create opportunities for cooperation with Azerbaijan.

Lakić added that Bosnia and Herzegovina is ready for discussions on energy transition projects and expects significant developments in its energy sector in the near future.

He stressed that Azerbaijan is widely recognised for its gas resources and stressed the country is open to all suppliers, including Azerbaijani partners.

Beyond natural gas, the minister explained that cooperation could also extend to renewable energy, particularly hydropower, which Bosnia and Herzegovina plans to expand in the coming years.

He said new hydropower projects, including cross-border initiatives, could be open to Azerbaijani investment or partnership. However, he noted that the main challenges facing green energy development are weak infrastructure and an underdeveloped electricity grid.

Lakić emphasised that resolving these infrastructure bottlenecks is the country’s key priority, adding that financing is not expected to be a major obstacle given strong investor interest in the sector.

Once the energy grid is strengthened, he said, Bosnia and Herzegovina could also expand electricity exports to other markets.

The country’s natural gas consumption stood at around 200–250 million cubic metres in 2025, accounting for roughly 3 per cent of its total energy mix, which remains dominated by coal and hydropower.

Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to rely heavily on imported gas, with about 95 per cent of supplies last year coming from Russia via Serbia through the Zvornik entry point, alongside smaller volumes from Croatia.

Meanwhile, Serbia already imports Azerbaijani gas, with 444.6 million cubic metres supplied over the past two years under an agreement between the two countries.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov