The Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina unanimously adopted the Draft Law on the Budget of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and International Obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2025 at an extraordinary session. On the occasion of the adoption of the Draft Law on the Budget of the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and International Obligations for 2025, the Cabinet of the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željko Komšić and the Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Denis Bećirović emphasized that they voted for the adoption of the budget so that 22 and a half thousand workers in the state institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, together with their families, would not be hostages of political squabbles.
“All amendments of the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Komšić and the Member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bećirović were accepted, which: increased the budget for the needs of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, provided money to the CEC for holding elections, and removed transfers to the entities from the funds of the Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina, since such allocation was against the law,” stated the Cabinet of Komšić and Bećirović.
It is added that compared to the original Draft Law on the Budget of BiH, which the Council of Ministers of BiH submitted to the Presidency of BiH in April 2025, the new Draft resolves a number of unacceptable solutions, including an attempt to transfer the obligations from the judgment in the “Viaduct” case to the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
“The adoption of this budget ensured the smooth functioning of the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and key legal and constitutional obligations were fulfilled,” stated the cabinet of the Chairman of the Presidency of BiH Željko Komšić and member of the Presidency of BiH Denis Bećirović.
On November 4, the Council of Ministers of BiH established a new text of the Draft Law on the Budget of the Institutions of BiH and International Obligations of BiH for 2025, which the Ministry of Finance and Treasury submitted to the Presidency of BiH, which is authorized to propose it to the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, which ultimately adopts this law.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is tasked with ensuring, within the budget reserve, funds for the payment of financial compensation to employees of the institutions of BiH in the amount of no less than 200 BAM, with applicable taxes, in the Draft Budget of the Institutions of BiH and International Obligations of BiH for 2026.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury has prepared a new text of the Draft Law on the Budget of the Institutions of BiH and International Obligations of BiH for 2025, after the proposal for this law was not adopted at an emergency session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH at the end of October.
Total revenues, receipts and financing of the institutions of BiH within the budget for 2025 amount to 1,570,500,000 BAM, which is an increase of 215,100,000 or 16 percent compared to the budget of the institutions of BiH for 2024.
Total expenditures of BiH institutions and servicing of external debt amount to 2,797,273,016 BAM, of which expenditures of BiH institutions amount to 1,570,500,000 BAM, while servicing of BiH’s external debt amounts to 1,226,773,016 BAM and is 203,960,037 BAM or 14 percent less than the previous year.
As previously announced by the Council of Ministers of BiH, the new text of the Draft Budget also prioritizes the continuation of reforms and the fulfillment of the conditions for the European Partnership and the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), as well as the adjustment of the programs of the Ministry of Defense and other ministries involved in activities related to the Partnership for Peace and other forms of cooperation with NATO.
Also, among the priorities are planned budget funds for the implementation of multi-year projects of budget beneficiaries, as well as an increase in salaries for secondary education in BiH institutions.
An integral part of the budget is the funds recorded for the Central Election Commission of BiH for the procurement of equipment related to new technologies, as well as funds for financial assistance to employees in the institutions of BiH.
Within the budget reserve, which amounts to 46,740,000 BAM, about 35,500,000 BAM has been provided for financial assistance to employees in the institutions of BiH in the amount of 1,000 BAM, due to the fact that the budget was not adopted on time, and that salaries to employees were paid at the base of 600 BAM from 2024, instead of the base for 2025 of 631.50 BAM. The Council of Ministers of BiH will make a special decision on the payment of financial assistance after the adoption of the Budget for 2025.
Financial assistance will not be received by deputies and delegates in the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, members of the Presidency of BiH, as well as the Chairperson, ministers and deputy ministers in the Council of Ministers of BiH – it was previously stated by the Council of Ministers of BiH.
