Betting shops' debt in FBiH increased by 15 million KM in a year

The debt of betting shops in the Federation of BiH is constantly rising, writes the Bosnian news agency Patria.

As of October 31, 2014, betting shops in FBiH owed over 25 million KM, according to official data from the Tax Administration of the Federation of BiH. However, by mid-2015, that debt had grown to around 40 million KM.

The largest debtors are betting shops from Mostar: the debt of Derby Bet Shop was over 10 million KM in mid-year. Intersport, also from Mostar, owed one million less.

Adisa Hamzić, spokesperson for the FBiH Tax Administration, earlier explained to Patria that betting shop owners most often fail to pay contributions for pension and disability insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance for their workers.

In a report aired on TV 1, experts warned that current laws in FBiH favor betting shop lobbies. The Tax Administration's hands are tied, so even when they obtain a court confirmation, it is almost impossible to forcibly collect the debts of betting shops because, in accordance with a decision of the Federal Constitutional Court, it is not possible to seize the owners' property, only that of the legal entity.

And the betting shops themselves most often have no assets.

Experts warn that criminal operations in a large number of betting shops in FBiH are a serious problem undermining the economic stability of FBiH. This problem is placed on the shoulders of the Federal Ministry of Finance, the FBiH Prosecutor's Office, the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA), the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, and the Federal Ministry of Justice.

Interestingly, the Federal Ministry of Finance is not making efforts to resolve the issue of betting shop debts. It is also surprising that the largest debtors come from Mostar, the city where the HDZ BiH is headquartered, a political party that has managed the Ministry of Finance for two decades, writes Patria.