Opinion of competent authorities awaited, proposal for wood export ban to be submitted to the Council of Ministers

SARAJevo, (Patria) - The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH today sent a Proposal for a decision on a temporary ban on the export of certain forest wood assortments, firewood, and wood products to the competent institutions for their opinion, after which the decision will be proposed to the Council of Ministers of BiH for adoption, announced the relevant minister Staša Košarac.

The proposal for the decision was drafted based on the conclusions of the Government of Republika Srpska, and the initiatives of the ministries of agriculture, forestry, and water management of Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH, which were submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH.

The proposal defines that the export of logs, firewood, and pellets from BiH will be banned for 90 days from the entry into force of this decision.

"We expect that the competent institutions will do their part and that we will adopt the decision as soon as possible," emphasized Minister Košarac.

According to him, preventing the temporary export of logs, firewood, and pellets is of key importance for citizens and the economic community in Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH in the context of global disruptions in the raw materials market and the enormous increase in energy prices.

"Our intention is to prioritize the well-being of citizens and ensure sufficient quantities of raw materials for domestic producers and wood processors, who have been facing the problem of raw material shortages in the market for years. That is why we have proposed protective measures, i.e., a temporary ban on the export of logs, firewood, and pellets. We are primarily considering the interests of our citizens and the protection of the domestic economy. I will repeat my earlier stance - we do not want our people from Republika Srpska and the Federation of BiH to face the upcoming winter with uncertainty and cold radiators, while our pellets are used to heat residents of Western countries," said Minister Košarac.