The inspection, in the last few weeks, has sealed several markets in Sarajevo. The state requires fiscal cash registers at every table. More than 350 booths have been closed.
The market on Otoka was closed first. The market on Ciglane is not working as well. In Vogosca, booths are also empty. Booths in Zenica have been closed earlier. Similar process is expected in other cities in BiH.
Fiscalization of booths at market places is one of the measures that BiH must adopt in order to become a member of the European Union. Taxes must be paid on goods sold on the marketplaces. This will reduce the gray market, which is huge in BiH. Croatia di the same in 2013, when it joined the EU. The local workers on those markets have protested at that time, but they finally had to join the system of taxation.
For now, only booths that sell clothes, shoes and things like that will be taxed. But those who sell agricultural products and fruits will also go under the inspection. Some of them explained that it would not be a problem if the state provided them adequate incentives. For example, EU farmers account for more than 40% of the total budget. In BiH, the incentives are really low. There are almost none of them, or they do not end up in the right hands. Domestic farmers warn that fiscalization of their market stalls, without adequate incentives, could further negatively affect their already bad position.
“We are not running away from paying taxes to the country. But the state must provide us support,” said one of the sellers who sells agricultural products on the market in Ciglane. He is farming everything at home. He sells: tomatoes, potatoes, onions, cabbage etc. He sells all of his products in retail so the country does not pay any incentives to him. He explains that if he had to get fiscal cash register, but still not get help from the state, it would be an imposition that will force him to increase the price of his products. A higher price of products means less customers and their shopping in malls, where there are mainly imported products. They are less quality but cheaper.
(Source: nap.ba)