For a short time, the citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina thought that the authorities of this country, at least in a situation of rapid price increases that have no end in sight, will stand by the people and give up part of the income.
However, the initiatives for the temporary abolition of excise duties and the reduction of the VAT rate on basic foodstuffs did not unite politicians to act urgently, but, on the contrary, became the subject of political maneuvers, which we will see below.
Politicians use all available means to avoid political responsibility, which is not good at the moment, economists agree. Rapid, innovative and urgent measures are needed in times of crisis.
After yesterday’s session of the House of Peoples of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABiH), the Draft Law on Excise Duties and the Law on Value Added Tax will go into the regular procedure.
On March 9th, the House of Representatives of the PABiH adopted the mentioned laws, and yesterday the delegates of the House of Peoples were to decide in that regard.
The law provided for the abolition of excise duties for 6 months on diesel fuel and other gas oils, kerosene, motor gasoline-unleaded, motor gasoline, heating oil, liquefied petroleum gas for the propulsion of motor vehicles, biofuels, and bioliquids.
The House of Peoples of the PABiH refused to consider the Draft Law on Excise Duties and the Law on Value Added Tax in an urgent procedure, but they will be sent to the regular procedure, which will slow down the process of passing these laws. In the regular procedure, it is possible to submit amendments to the proposed law.
In practice, this will mean that citizens will continue to pay the same price for fuel for now.
If the House of Peoples had adopted a proposal yesterday to abolish excise duties for six months, as the House of Representatives has already voted, citizens would have paid up to 40 pfennigs cheaper for fuel after the law came into force.
