Magazinović wrote to colleagues: Seeking support for a law exempting food donations from taxes

(Patria) - Head of the SDP BiH parliamentary group in the BiH Parliament, Saša Magazinović, today submitted to all colleagues in the House of Representatives a law that would exempt food donations from taxes.

In addition, he called for all of them to jointly propose this long-awaited legal solution, not only by those who run soup kitchens, but also by businesses that donate food, and above all, by the end-users.

Along with the law, Magazinović sent the following letter to his colleagues:

“Dear colleagues, representatives, I believe you are aware of the initiative by the Mozaik Foundation to amend the Law on VAT in terms of exempting food donated to soup kitchens from tax, as well as all the benefits that this amendment to the law brings. The current situation is paradoxical, where those who donate food are "punished" because it is financially more profitable to destroy food (paying approx. 5% of the food's value) than to donate it (paying 17% VAT). Estimates suggest that food worth approximately 130 million KM is destroyed annually.

In response to a parliamentary question I submitted to the Indirect Taxation Authority, this proposal was deemed valid, and readiness was expressed to undertake activities in terms of adequately defining legal and sub-legal solutions. For your information, I am attaching the text of the law with a call for us to be joint proposers. I believe that, understanding all political differences, it is important for us to cooperate on such issues. People in need, hungry people, and unfortunately there are very many of them, expect this from us.

We should be aware that in addition to the end-users, this law also helps businesses, as well as the budgets of local communities from which money is most often allocated for soup kitchens. Therefore, it is important that we show unity because the success of the project “No one hungry, no one alone” depends on all of us, together. I inform you that in the coming days I intend to hold a meeting regarding the Rulebook on the application of the Law on VAT, the amendment of which should also follow the proposed amendment to the law and define the implementation of this process in practice. This is not within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, but I believe we should also have information about it at the time we are voting on the law.

Today, when both houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been constituted, as well as the working bodies, and when there is an agreement from the ITA, I believe that the conditions have been met for the law to enter the procedure. Therefore, I ask you to declare within the next 7 days your readiness to be one of the proposers of the law and to participate in the activities for the adoption of the law. Of course, if there are any questions or suggestions, I am available for a phone call, meeting, or any other form of communication on this matter,” stated Magazinović's letter.