Minister Edita Đapo violates FBiH Constitution, supported establishment of illegal tourism board in KS

Sarajevo hoteliers charge a 2 KM tourist tax per night for every tourist staying in the Sarajevo Canton. This money is then supposed to be forwarded to the KS Tourist Board. From this money, the promotion of the Canton's tourism potentials in the country and the world is organized, writes Patria.

In recent weeks, some hoteliers have been keeping this tax for themselves. The KS Tourist Board explains that this is a criminal offense.
The problem in the Sarajevo Canton with tourist taxes was caused by the cantonal prime minister Elmedin Konaković. He called the Tourist Board in KS illegal and announced the establishment of a new tourism board. Such unfounded public statements by the prime minister have led to chaos in the tourism market in KS, warn experts in this field.

The KS Tourist Board states that their operations are completely legal. However, they believe that the support given by the KS Government and Assembly to the establishment of a new, Konaković's tourism board is illegal. The Law on Tourism in KS, which the KS Government and Assembly invoked when establishing the new tourism board, is still pending a constitutionality review before the Constitutional Court of FBiH.

- What will happen if the Constitutional Court declares the Law on Tourism in KS unconstitutional, and the KS Government and Assembly supported the establishment of a new tourism board in KS based on this law at the beginning of September – asks the KS Tourist Board.

Lawyer Ahmed Žilić believes that the federal Minister of Environment and Tourism, Edita Đapo, also assisted in the establishment of the new, illegal tourism board in KS, because she misinterpreted the Decision of the Constitutional Court of FBiH. The Court declared the Federal Law on Tourism unconstitutional in mid-2014, but in its interpretation of the ruling, it stated that authorities should ensure the implementation of this law in an organizational sense until a new tourism law is passed, to avoid harmful consequences in the Federation.
The FBiH Parliament also made the same decisions.

- Minister Đapo stated that Tourist Boards in FBiH have the same legal status as the Law on Tourist Boards and Tourism Promotion in FBiH, thus they are not in accordance with the FBiH Constitution, but she concealed the fact that the Constitutional Court of FBiH provided an interpretation that the implementation of this law must be ensured in an organizational sense in FBiH, until a new tourism law is passed – explains lawyer Žilić.

- Therefore, existing tourist boards in FBiH are completely legal until the adoption of a new tourism law in FBiH.

Lawyer Žilić sent a warning about Minister Đapo's oversight to all 16 ministers in the Government of the Federation of BiH, the President of FBiH Marinko Čavara, the vice-presidents of the Federation, as well as the federal attorney, reports NAP.