Budget in focus of the regular session of the House of Representatives of FBiH: More money for salaries, less for investments

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The ninth regular session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of FBiH will be held as a continuation of the session of the House of Representatives of the Parliament of FBiH. 

At the ninth regular session, the budget, which amounts to 4,954,392,401 for 2020, will be in focus. 

In the Budget of the Federation of BiH for 2020, salaries, contributions, and employee expense reimbursements are planned in the total amount of 285.1 million KM, which is about 26.5 million KM more compared to the previous year. 

A significant increase is also noticeable in the item "Expenditures for materials, small inventory, and services". In the budget for the next year, funds for this item have been increased by about 12 million KM. 

Capital transfers in the budget of the Federation of BiH for 2020 amount to 147.8 million KM and are 194 million KM lower compared to the amount from the budget of the Federation of BiH for 2019.

The regular session will consider the Bill on Amendments to the Law on the Treasury in FBiH – urgent procedure, the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Contributions – urgent procedure, the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Budgets in FBiH - urgent procedure, the Bill on the Budget of FBiH for 2020 – urgent procedure, and the Bill on the Execution of the Budget of FBiH for 2020 – urgent procedure.

The clubs of independent representatives and SDP proposed that the agenda be supplemented with proposals for amendments to the Criminal Code of FBiH. 

From the Club of Independents, Zlatko Ercegović proposed that attacks on healthcare workers be treated as attacks on officials in the Criminal Code. 

The proposal from the SDP Club, i.e., representative Senaid Begić, relates to amendments to the Criminal Code that would treat attacks on journalists as attacks on officials. 

Presiding officer Mirsad Zaimović proposed that the Government of FBiH be tasked by conclusion to prepare a comprehensive proposal for amendments to the Criminal Code of FBiH. 

Ercegović did not abandon his proposal, but the majority did not support it. The SDP's proposal was also not supported. 

After the proposal that the Bill on the Execution of the Budget for 2020 go through an urgent procedure was rejected, the SDA Caucus requested a 15-minute break.