The guests of today’s Rezime by Federalna TV were Draško Aćimović, economic expert, and Adis Kečo, head of the Professional Service at the Federation of Independent Trade Unions of BiH, and they talked about inflation and the consumer basket.
As for the trade union consumer basket, the Federation of Independent Trade Unions has been calculating for a four-member family for a long time, explained Kečo. He states that this means that the family has one child who goes to high school, and one who goes to elementary school.
“The trade union consumer basket for the month of August is 3,322 BAM. This is a significant price increase compared to the previous month, we have a new school year coming up and children need certain necessities. On the other hand, we are witnessing daily price increases of basic foodstuffs. That’s the result we got,” said Kečo.
In addition to food, the union’s consumer basket also includes housing, hygiene, transportation, rent, etc., and salaries, says Kečo, are insufficient to cover the union’s consumer basket. He added that many citizens live below the poverty line.
“It’s terrible for me. I don’t know how people live with that income, especially if we look at the structure of price increases, 50 percent is just food and utilities. We can no longer talk about inflation here. Inflation is something politicians use to justify their actions. We can no longer talk about the terms that were once used. Terminology like inflation is used for populist purposes,” Aćimović emphasized.
Speaking about the lowest salary of 596 BAM, Kečo pointed out that the Government of FBiH heartily defended it in the previous convocation, claiming that it is the maximum, however, he claims, there is certainly room for increasing the minimum salary.
“In 2018, we launched a campaign in which we demanded that it be legally defined and that it be 1,000 BAM. We found a basis for this in the convention of the International Labor Organization, which is an integral part of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Although we proposed it to be adopted by the FBiH Government in the previous mandate, it did not happen. We are sabotaged and ridiculed. Finally, there were changes in the executive power and we have firm promises that this law will be passed,” he said.
“I don’t know why it wasn’t adopted. As soon as working groups are formed and memoranda are signed – nothing comes of it. A huge amount of money is poured into private pockets and into some projects that are inadequately executed, and we are discussing whether we will increase the minimum wage to 1,000 BAM – that is the tragedy of our society”, adds Aćimović.
Prices are rising enormously, vehicle registration has become more expensive, which is another blow to workers.
“This is just one in a series of price increases. There are also announcements that we will have an increase in interest on loans, and that will be another burden to the citizens,” said Kečo.
He also says that they are considering coming up with concrete proposals to the representatives of the executive power in the coming period.
“Now all the energy is directed towards passing the minimum wage law. This would increase consumption”.
In BH. “the political Bermuda Triangle” is running out of money, Aćimović points out.
“Only last year compared to 2021 there was an excess of two billion, this year even more. No one knows where the money is. Lack of transparency, extreme crime and corruption. We cannot do anything else until we reduce crime and corruption to at least a tolerable level,” said Aćimović.
Regarding cooperation with the new government, Kečo says that it is correct.
“We are involved in all processes and legal solutions that the FBiH Government intends to adopt. There is this social dialogue. Unlike the previous Government, which did everything on its own, any consultations with the Trade Union were of a protocol nature,” concluded Kečo.
