Amidžić's meetings with trade unions are misleading both them and the public: Why doesn't he finally propose the Budget for BiH Institutions?

(Patria) - A meeting between Minister Srđan Amidžić and representatives of three representative trade unions, the Union of Trade Unions of Police Bodies in BiH, the Indirect Taxation Authority Union, and the Union of Civil Servants and Employees was held today at the premises of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of Bosnia and Herzegovina to discuss the trade unions' demands following the protest held in front of the BiH Parliament building on March 31.

The SIPA Trade Union issued a statement after Minister Amidžić's statements today, saying they perceive them as "a kind of April Fool's joke".

"Namely, presenting something that has already been defined by the valid decision on the base salary amount as 'meeting the trade union demands' actually conceals the core problem – the lack of timely and lawful budget planning. The budget should have been prepared in accordance with the budget calendar and the clearly defined base salary that has been in effect since January 1, not as the minister states, subsequently corrected through an increase in the total funds and retroactive payments.

Such an approach does not represent a solution, but an attempt to present administrative oversights and the inaction of competent institutions as concessions to employees. The key question remains why the funds were not planned from the outset in accordance with the adopted decisions on the base salary amount and why the Budget is not in line with the Law that defines the deadlines, submitted for adoption to the Council of Ministers and further to the Presidency of BiH and the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH.

Such statements about increasing the amount allocated for salaries to enable retroactive payment of salaries at an increased base from January 1 are somewhat insulting to common sense, given that funds for salaries are planned in the Budget for the period January 1 - December 31, regardless of when the Budget is adopted," stated the SIPA Trade Union.

Last week, Amidžić held a press conference in Banja Luka and blamed everyone but himself and the personnel from RS who still do not give consent for the Global Fiscal Framework at the Fiscal Council. Previously, they accused the Prime Minister of the FBiH (otherwise the only Bosniak in the BiH Fiscal Council) of obstruction, but Nikšić gave his consent at the session on February 3, while the RS personnel withdrew their votes at that time. However, Amidžić does not want to say this publicly, but at meetings with trade unions, he promises payments that should have already been included in the Budget, which he has not even prepared, although we are in the fourth month of 2026.

While prices are rising every day, which also raises the issue of salary increases, as well as other costs, state institutions are under temporary financing.

The Fiscal Council consists of: Chairperson of the Council of Ministers of BiH Borjana Krišto, Prime Ministers of the Federation of BiH (Nikšić) and Republika Srpska (Minić), and the Ministers of Finance at the state and entity levels (Srđan Amidžić, Toni Kraljević, and Zora Vidović).