Salaries of directors in the public sector in KS vary by up to 2000 KM, highest in communal economy, lowest in education

By: A. Vrabac

After the salaries of directors of public enterprises and institutions at the Federation of BiH level were publicly disclosed, for which the FBiH Government requested data, and from which it is evident that some directors have salaries exceeding 8,000 KM, we asked about the situation in Sarajevo Canton.

Former Minister of Communal Economy Almir Bečarević often spoke publicly about the salaries of directors of certain public utility companies, as they fell under his jurisdiction, which were higher than the salaries of ministers or the Prime Minister himself, Nihad Uk.

Prime Minister Uk responded to the inquiry from the Patria News Agency whether he would request the same data for cantonal enterprises, institutes, and institutions founded by the Canton Sarajevo, as well as for management and supervisory boards, and whether savings could be achieved.

“We are working together with the Economic Institute on an overview of all salaries in the public sector of Sarajevo Canton. There are a large number of anomalies, and the tendency is to value work of the same complexity, intensity, and similar parameters equally in every institution, rather than depending on which ministry the institution is under or which collective agreement it operates under. This is a long process, and I do not expect it to be concluded immediately,” said Uk.

Given that the KS budget is lower by about 100 million KM due to the reduction of weights for Sarajevo Canton, reducing high salaries in the public sector or equalizing them would certainly lead to certain savings. At least those for which money is directly allocated from the KS budget.

Until the KS Government concludes the process it has initiated, we present an overview of salaries of directors in the public sector in Sarajevo Canton, selected randomly from the register of appointed and employed persons in KS.

In recent days, there has been talk about communal services and cleanliness of Sarajevo, which is the responsibility of KJKP Rad. Director Nijaz Salamović (NIP) has a monthly salary of 3,798 KM according to the register of appointed persons. He was appointed to this position at the end of September as acting director. Previously, he was the executive director of this company, whose salary was 3,055 KM. Director of KJKP Tržnice-Pijace Jasmin Terović has a salary of 3,562 KM. Director of KJKP Park Adis Bešlić has a monthly salary of 3,545 KM.

Another company that has been in the news is KJP Centar Skenderija, especially after the work report for 2021 was not adopted, and due to plans to demolish the iconic Skenderija and build residential buildings and skyscrapers. The director of Skenderija is Damir Petrinić from Naša stranka. His basic monthly salary is 2,376 KM.

The salary of the director of JU Dom zdravlja Kantona Sarajevo Abel Baltić (SDP BiH) is 2,976 KM. The director of the Institute for Health Protection of MUP KS Employees Anes Talović has a monthly salary of 2,500 KM.

From the domain of social protection institutions, the director of the Gerontology Center Mirza Musa (Naša stranka) has a monthly salary of 2,188 KM. The director of the Home for Children without Parental Care Tarik Smailbegović has a basic salary of 1,638 KM. The director of the Cantonal Center for Social Work Mahir Delić has a monthly salary of 1,995 KM.

The director of the company Pokop Samir Kurtanović has a salary of 3,303 KM.
The director of Biblioteka Sarajevo Merima Lendo has a monthly salary of 1,980 KM. The director of the Bosnian Cultural Center Jasmin Duraković has a monthly salary of 1,764 KM. The director of the Youth Theatre Ismir Fazlić has a salary of 1,980 KM.

Directors of primary and secondary schools have almost uniform salaries with a deviation of 100 to 200 KM. Thus, the salary of the director of the Railway School Center is 1,512 KM, the director of Gimnazija Dobrinja is slightly higher at 1,696 KM, and the salary of the director of Primary School “Skender Kulenović” is the same.

The salary of KS Prime Minister Nihad Uk is 3,234 KM, Minister of MUP KS Admir Katica has a basic monthly salary of 2,835 KM, while the Minister of Veterans' Affairs Omer Osmanović has a salary of 2,970 KM, as does the Minister of Justice and Administration Darja Softić-Kadenić.

Therefore, it is evident that the salaries of directors in KS are not uniform, with a wide range from the lowest to the highest, amounting to 2,000 KM. The difference in directors' salaries by sector is also visible, with the highest salaries belonging to directors from the communal economy, and the lowest from the fields of education and culture.

It is the obligation of the KS Government to regulate salaries in the public sector, not for some directors to enrich themselves at the expense of taxpayers, i.e., the citizens of Sarajevo Canton. Therefore, it is evident that there is money in the KS Budget, it is only a question of whether it is intended to be managed responsibly.