Islamic Community Calls on Bosniaks to Pay Property Tax in Republika Srpska

The Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina has called on Bosniaks who own land in Republika Srpska to come forward for the land registration currently underway in this entity, and then to regularly start paying property tax, which will soon become mandatory under the laws of this entity, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

Director of the Waqf Directorate in BiH, Dr. Senaid Zajimović, told NAP that the Islamic Community will provide great assistance to Bosniaks living in this entity, as well as those living in the diaspora, to register their property in RS as accurately and easily as possible in their own name.

The Law on Survey and Cadastre and the Law on Property Tax in Republika Srpska have caused discontent among Bosniaks in recent months, and representatives of Bosniaks in the RS government have said that these laws aim to complete the SANU Memorandum, i.e., ethnic cleansing in the territory of Republika Srpska. However, Dr. Zajimović says that Bosniaks can, despite all their irregularities, derive benefit from these laws and achieve a better position in this entity than before, if they think wisely.

- If Bosniaks do not pay property tax in RS, they risk eventually losing their property and losing their land. And those who hold the land, hold the country - Dr. Zajimović stated.

- Our recommendation is that everyone takes care of their property and fights for their property, and pays tax on it. Someone might say that the Islamic Community is working in the interest of RS. But no, we are working in the interest of the state of Bosnia and Herzegovina. We will all be obliged to pay property tax sooner or later, because that is the practice throughout Europe - added Dr. Zajimović.

He said that the Law on Survey and Cadastre and the Law on Property Tax in Republika Srpska contain irregularities with which Bosniaks in this entity disagree, such as the deadline for paying tax after the bill is due, which is only 15 days. However, if Bosniaks cannot influence these irregularities, they should maximally use the positive side of this law, which is to finally register all property in their ownership.

- Those who cannot cultivate the land in RS should give it for use to friends or relatives, says Dr. Zajimović - writes NAP.