Arabic version: عقود الطاقة في البلقان المرتبطة بصلات ترامب تثير القلق

A company named AAFS Infrastructure and Energy is on the verge of securing contracts worth more than $1 billion for a pipeline project across the Balkans, designed to facilitate the shipment of U.S. fossil gas to replace supplies that come from Russia. This move is seen as a significant infrastructure development for Bosnia and Herzegovina, according to local officials who remain anonymous due to the sensitive nature of the negotiations.

According to The Guardian, AAFS has no record of even attempting anything close to this scale but boasts connections to Donald Trump through key representatives. One is a Washington lawyer, Jesse Binnall, who has acted for the Trumps in political cases, while another is the brother of the former national security adviser.

The Trump administration has reportedly made it clear to Bosnian leaders that securing approval for AAFS’s pipeline is a priority. This situation raises questions about the intertwining of international relations and personal enrichment, as noted by a former senior U.S. official who described the current political climate as unsavory.

The involvement of AAFS in such a significant project without a competitive tender process has drawn scrutiny, especially considering the historical context of U.S. involvement in the region following the 1995 peace deal that ended a devastating war. As negotiations progress, the implications for Bosnia’s energy independence and stability remain to be seen.