Novalić: We cannot pay pensions without the 2019 budget being adopted

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – The Prime Minister of the Federation of BiH Government, Fadil Novalić, stated that if the budget of the Federation of BiH for 2019 is not adopted, it will be impossible to pay any obligations financed from the budget, meaning that in February there will be no salaries, allowances, or disability benefits.

He said that it is no longer a question of who is right, but whether pensioners will have money to buy medicine and food in February.

"As for pensioners, the main problem with paying pensions is the non-adoption of the financial plan of the PIO Fund for 2019. Without it, payments are not possible," Novalić told today's "Nezavisne novine".

He warned that the FBiH Government's "hands are tied" and stated that it is too late for temporary financing.

"Therefore, until the old convocation is convened or the new one is constituted, we are not allowed by law to pay anything from the budget, which has only gone through half of the procedure, i.e., the House of Representatives," he explained.

"I hope that this will not happen and that the session of the old convocation /House of Peoples of the FBiH/ will be convened in due time," Novalić said.

The Chairperson of the House of Peoples of the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lidija Bradara (HDZ BiH), stated that the FBiH budget should be adopted by the new convocation of the House of Peoples of the FBiH Parliament, after which she refused to convene a session of the old convocation of that house, writes NAP.

To constitute the new convocation of the House of the FBiH Parliament, a final decision from the Constitutional Court of BiH (session on January 31) is required regarding the distribution of mandates in the House of Peoples of the FBiH.