House of Peoples of FBiH Adopts FBiH Budget for 2021

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - In the continuation of the eighth session of the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament, a vote was held on the FBiH budget for 2021.

Ivo Tadić proposed a conclusion obliging the FBiH Government that if it fails to secure the IMF tranche, it should borrow from other international institutions in the amount of 420 million KM.

Delegate Elmedin Konaković proposed that the House of Peoples prohibit delegates from proposing populist and unrealistic amendments and conclusions.

Aner Žuljević, a delegate from the "others" category, stated that there is a problem because Tadić's proposed conclusion came outside the procedure.

“We have a conclusion from January 11 and I completely agree with Konaković, because every year we have submissions with conclusions. It would be good for the members of the parliamentary majority to hold discussions in their communities and with their colleagues in the executive branch earlier. I consider Tadić's conclusion unnecessary, because if you adopt the budget, the Government is obliged to secure funds,” said Žuljević, noting that there have been situations in the past where the budget was prepared without secured funds.

The Prime Minister of FBiH, Fadil Novalić, commented on the conclusions, stating that the budget should not be refined with conclusions.

“The request was not to treat only clinical centers in the budget, but also other health institutions, and this has already been done through nominations in the budget. We cannot focus predominantly on the primary sector, as we are allocating funds for that purpose to some cantons. There is no doubt that three million KM will be found for the Bihać Health Center, and the Una-Sana Canton deserves even more. Regarding the request for distribution to Posavina and BPK, we have already fulfilled it. The only conclusion that the Government truly needs is that if there is no IMF, the Government should indeed borrow elsewhere. As for our current revenues and operating costs, we do not need borrowing for that. We need borrowing due to the poor situation in the cantons, as well as the healthcare system shaken by the pandemic,” explained Novalić.

He added that the Federation is borrowing under pressure from lower levels of government that cannot borrow themselves.

Konaković responded by saying that Novalić was putting delegates under pressure so that they would support Tadić's conclusion because of the cantons.

“I don't like any of the conclusions, but I would like us to adopt Tadić's conclusion if they don't borrow from the IMF. This is a disgrace,” Konaković stated.

Dragan Stevanović, a delegate of the House of Peoples from the SDP, informed the delegates and the leadership that after this session, he accepts the mandate of a councilor in Centar and is leaving the House.

The Budget of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2021 was adopted in the initial vote with 32 for, 12 against, and 6 abstentions.

At Konaković's request, a separate vote was held, and the proposal received support with 34 votes for, 13 against, and six abstentions.

The budget comes into effect upon publication in the Official Gazette.

Tadić's conclusion was ultimately not supported.

The Law on the Execution of the Budget for 2021 was also adopted.