Lendo: Employers are afraid of the FBiH Government's next step

(Patria) - FBiH Vice President Refik Lendo was a guest on the show '7Plus' on Hayat Television.

Some of the topics he discussed included the FBiH Government's decision on a minimum wage of 1,000 KM and today's withdrawal of the Decision on Temporary Financing of FBiH, due to which tomorrow's session of the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament was cancelled.

- I think it is very good that they talked today, and it would have been better if the Government and partners in the Economic and Social Council (ESV) had talked earlier. But before I give you my stance, I must share my findings from yesterday with you.

Federation of BiH is among the first in terms of the number of betting shops per capita and among the first in terms of tax burden on wages.

Regarding the approach to the minimum wage, it is very important to repeat, and this is also my information from all conversations, that no one is against the proposed minimum wage amount of one thousand KM, and that is indeed positive.

I think that all measures that were mentioned today during the talks at the ESV should have been adopted in parallel or even before this decision on a minimum wage of one thousand KM.

The minimum wage affects all other costs, as numerous other things are calculated based on the minimum and average wage, which then leads to numerous increases.

What I have learned in numerous conversations with businessmen and workers is that many of them are afraid of what the next step will be.

Today, an old, experienced worker told me that this is all preparation for what is yet to come, referring to further price increases. So, this is not just about the minimum wage, but about all the necessary fiscal measures.

The criticism of this move is not because anyone is against the amount of the minimum wage, but the serious drawback is the absence of all fiscal measures - says Lendo.

He adds that there is another thing the FBiH Government is doing that is not good.

- It seems to me, and this is not good, that the Government is trying to create a rift and cause a quarrel between employers, businessmen, and workers, and they are one. The employer organizes work in their company, and the worker works and creates new value.

Therefore, their interests are common because only then can they do well - emphasizes Lendo and adds that one cannot stop at this decision on the minimum wage alone, but that real and necessary fiscal reform measures are such that they require time.

According to him, serious analyses need to be done, not just on the minimum wage, to see where and how and what needs to be increased and decreased.

- We will see how much of that the Government can actually offer in seven days, but I want to believe that, along with the announced minimum wage amount, they will be able to find a way to help employers, because as we have already established, one thing leads to another - adds Lendo.