BiH Heads for Temporary Financing Again: Fiscal Council Without Consensus, Budget on Hold

(Patria) - The process of adopting the state budget for this year has been halted in the BiH Fiscal Council. The state Minister of Finance did not vote for the BiH fiscal framework and states there is still time.

A single post on social media indicated that blockades to the adoption of the state budget will continue in 2026 as well. Deputy Minister of Finance of BiH Muhamed Hasanović accused Finance Minister Srđan Amidžić of blocking the adoption of the BiH fiscal framework, a document proposed by Amidžić himself.

The fiscal framework, whose official proposer is the Minister of Finance, was previously agreed upon between Minister Amidžić and Chairperson Borjana Krišto and, as such, was submitted to the Fiscal Council. All other members of the Fiscal Council voted for the framework, while representatives from the Republika Srpska, including Minister Amidžić, decided not to support it, i.e., not to vote.

Although the correspondence clearly indicated that Hasanović was ready for additional clarifications, he did not respond to calls, but Minister Amidžić did, informing the media via correspondence that voting on the fiscal framework is open until February 9, which is also confirmed by the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska.

From this communication within the state Ministry of Finance, we are left without an answer as to who must or can vote by when. The public, says journalist Rubina Čengić, is clear that the pre-election race has begun.

The message was nevertheless understood by opposition representatives.

"Without a decision on the global fiscal framework, there is no further budget procedure; it cannot come before the Council of Ministers. So, we are again in a phase where SNSD cadres behave in the worst possible way at the level of BiH institutions, which suits them better. So, once again, a destructive policy," stated Dženan Đonlagić, delegate of the Bosniak Club in the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, for BHRT.

Đonlagić warns that the Council of Ministers is already violating the BiH Budget Law because it is late in adopting the draft budget of institutions for this year. Such a policy threatens the livelihood of 23,000 employees in state institutions who expect the implementation of the promised salary increases.

"Our patience is running out, and we can no longer tolerate these things. As I said, elections are near, and all these political parties are increasingly undermining things until the elections, and some things that need to pass apparently will not. Our patience is running out; we will wait for one more session of the House of Peoples, and if that does not yield results, we will indeed go to protests. As far as I am personally concerned, they should be truly radical," said Radenko Mirković from the Independent Union of Employees in BiH Institutions.

It is increasingly certain that BiH will again resort to temporary financing this year, meaning funds will only be available for basic needs and servicing the external debt.