Package of three laws: FBiH Government activates 200 million KM for the affected!

The Government of the Federation of BiH adopted today a package of three laws to aid those affected by floods, which, as the Bosnian news agency Patria (NAP) learns, will very quickly activate financial assistance, primarily from internal reserves, exceeding 200 million marks!

Namely, as we learn, the Government adopted and, under an urgent procedure, forwarded to the Parliament of FBiH three laws: the law on establishing a fund for aid, the law on financing aid, and the law enabling the allocation of state property to those who lost their homes in floods and landslides.

All three laws, if adopted, will enable quick, efficient, and transparent assistance for tens of thousands of households affected by the unprecedented floods of the past month. Namely, the largest aid package will be unlocked by the adoption of the Law on Financing Aid to Those Affected by Natural Disasters, which will allow the Federation, cantons, and municipalities to repurpose funds they already have.

- This enables authorities to immediately redirect part of the money they have for various purposes, such as protection, environment, shelter construction, or utility fees, towards reconstruction and aid. For example, the municipality of Tuzla alone currently has three million KM in its account for shelters. They will be able to use that immediately. We estimate that such funds in the accounts of all levels of government amount to more than 100 million marks – states a source from the FBiH Government for Patria.

Also, this law introduces a self-contribution of employees for aid to the affected. According to this solution, all employees, except those who declare they will not, will give part of their money for aid. Budget users and employees in public companies and all companies and institutions related to the authorities will set aside a daily allowance for six months, while other employees will contribute 1% of their salary.

It is estimated that this self-contribution will secure an additional at least around six million marks per month.

The second law in the package, urgently sent to the Parliament of BiH, enables all levels of government to allocate land and property to citizens and companies that lost their homes or facilities in landslides and floods, and to exempt them from paying all fees related to that property, which under current regulations they would be obliged to pay.

Finally, the government also adopted a law on establishing a special fund that would, based on priorities, work on the distribution of international and domestic donations for aid to flooded areas.

- The FBiH Government expects that, as soon as the fund is established, there will be several million marks in the accounts, because decisions on large donation amounts have already been made by public companies. The fund will be a government body with a Management Board consisting, by function, of the Prime Minister and five line ministers. There will also be five members from among the donors, proposed by the Employers' Association – confirmed to the Patria agency by the FBiH Government.

The fund will be headed by a director selected through a competition, who will be appointed by the FBiH Government. A council of the fund will also be formed, which will include representatives of cantons and non-governmental organizations, NAP reports.