Egrlić: Trade volume in BiH will decrease by 30 percent after floods

The worst thing that happened to us during these floods is that people who lost their homes, and some their loved ones, also lost their jobs. By realizing personal income, they will not be able to repair the material damages that can be repaired, stated the President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BiH Ahmet Egrlić, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

He explained that over a hundred BiH manufacturing companies suffered direct damages. Many of these companies have completely halted their production and it is uncertain when they will be able to resume production.

- What is worrying is that after this, there will certainly be a drop in exports, a drop in fresh capital in the country, a drop in tax and non-tax revenues. The complete flow of money, people, and goods will decrease by almost 30 percent in BiH – said Egrlić. He added that he does not know how long this situation will last and when these companies will be able to resume production. These are extremely promising companies that had a market in the European Union. Also, all sectors of the economy were affected: wood industry, textile, metal, food, and others.

- We have information that a very small number of companies were insured, and that is what is additionally worrying. We currently have no funds that can help such companies – explained Egrlić.

He added that representatives of the FTC BiH contacted the Euro Chamber, the World Federation of Chambers, the Balkan Association of Chambers, in order to contribute through the chamber system so that BiH companies do not lose their markets in the world and Europe. They asked chambers of other countries to influence their businessmen not to terminate contracts they had with BiH companies.

Egrlić also appeals to the authorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina to do everything possible through budgets, through incentives, for the state to ensure the return of production and jobs as soon as possible, writes Patria.