Fuel prices in Bosnia and Herzegovina continue to rise, placing an increasing burden on household budgets, while concrete measures from the authorities are still lacking. Drivers across the country are greeted almost daily with new price lists at gas stations, and citizens warn that they are finding it harder to cope with constant increases.
The only concrete proposal that has been put forward so far – the abolition of excise duties on fuel – has not received support in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically in the House of Peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Delegates from Alliance of Independent Social Democrats blocked amendments to the law, leaving citizens without the relief many had expected.
While citizens are protesting and warning about the impact of fuel prices on everyday life, the authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina are still trying to reach a political agreement on possible measures. At the same time, several countries in the region have already introduced packages aimed at protecting consumers from rising energy costs.
Economic expert Davud Bećirović points to examples from neighboring countries, highlighting that quick responses are possible. According to him, Slovenia has introduced limits on fuel purchases, allowing individuals to buy up to 50 liters per day and legal entities up to 200 liters, as one of the mechanisms to stabilize supply and demand.
In addition, the Slovenian Army has been involved in fuel distribution, assisting with transportation and supply, while authorities have called on distributors to better coordinate deliveries from warehouses to gas stations to speed up supply and improve efficiency.
In North Macedonia, the government has reduced VAT on gasoline and diesel from 18 to 10 percent. Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the measure is expected to keep gasoline prices stable, while diesel could rise slightly. According to him, the move saves citizens around 200,000 euros per day, or about 1.5 million euros per week, given that average daily consumption is around 1.6 million liters.
The Government of Croatia has also adopted a new package of measures regulating fuel prices and maintaining electricity and gas prices for the next six months. The package is worth 450 million euros, and together with previous measures introduced since 2020, the total value of state interventions aimed at protecting citizens and the economy has reached nine billion euros.
Director of the Croatian Employers’ Association, Irena Weber, emphasized that support measures should be targeted primarily at the most socially vulnerable citizens.
Other countries in the region have also reacted. Montenegro has mitigated fuel price increases by reducing excise duties, while Serbia extended the regulation limiting the prices of petroleum derivatives until June 23, extending its application from the initial 60 to a total of 150 days.
Experts believe these examples show that solutions exist for Bosnia and Herzegovina as well – from tax reductions and differentiated VAT rates to the release of oil reserves and stronger market regulation. However, without political agreement and timely action, such measures remain out of reach, leaving citizens to bear the growing cost of the crisis.
