Minister of Finance and Treasury of BiH Srđan Amidžić and representatives of the unions of employees in institutions at the level of BiH agree that the BiH budget for this year should include funds for the payment of salaries to employees in these institutions on an increased basis, starting from January 1.
After a meeting with union representatives, Amidžić said that the Ministry planned to increase the item for salaries of employees in BiH institutions by 160 million KM in this year’s budget.
“So far, these costs have amounted to 1.013 billion KM, and with our proposal and agreement, they will be 1.173 billion KM,” said Amidžić, specifying that this is enough to pay the full amount of the salary for all 12 months of the current year on a basis of 690 KM.
Amidžić emphasized that this would correct a decade-long injustice towards people working in BiH institutions, who have always had their income reduced compared to what is defined by law for a good part of the year.
He noted that the budget is a political document, but at the same time functional.
“I am sorry that in the previous period we did not come to a situation where we had an adopted global fiscal framework for reasons of a political nature, because some members raised the question of the constitutionality of some others within the Fiscal Council,” said Amidžić.
He expressed hope that the global fiscal framework would be adopted as soon as possible and that the expenditures when it comes to salaries, or compensations of employees in the institutions of BiH, would be clearly defined within that document.
He called on the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples to agree on amendments to the Law on Salaries of Employees in the Institutions of BiH as soon as possible in order to enable its implementation when other conditions are met.
President of the Indirect Taxation Administration Trade Union Ana Mrnjavac emphasized that the adoption of the global fiscal framework and the BiH budget with increased funds for salaries would create the conditions for the payment of salaries on an increased basis, retroactively, from January 1.
“That way, a good part of our problems would be solved, and that is the key issue that led to yesterday’s protests,” said Mrnjavac, expressing hope that others would also have understanding for this.
Mario Krajinović from the Federation of Police Trade Unions at the BiH level said that it would not be nice to obstruct the adoption of the global fiscal framework and budget for this year.
“We have already lost three, or rather four months, and it would be good if the budget was adopted as soon as possible,” Krajinović emphasized.
Deputy President of the Independent Union of Civil Servants and Employees in the Institutions of BiH Vanja Grabovac said that the minister recognized the union’s demands and expressed hope that a solution would be found to meet them by adopting a global fiscal framework, budget and law, Srna writes.
