Political purge within the Tax Administration of FBiH: Union warns of illegal transfers and possible mobbing

(Patria) - The Trade Union Committee of the Tax Administration of the Federation of BiH has expressed serious concern over the increasing number of temporary and permanent transfers of employees within the institution, for which, they claim, there is a well-founded suspicion that they are not being carried out in accordance with valid laws and the collective agreement.

In a letter sent to the competent institutions, the Union warns that some transfers were carried out without consultations with union representatives, although Article 65 of the Collective Agreement for employees of administrative bodies and judicial authorities in FBiH stipulates the obligation to obtain the Union's opinion.

They consider cases of permanent transfers without the consent of employees and without clear justification for the existence of objective and urgent needs of the service to be particularly controversial, which is contrary to Article 22a of the Law on Civil Service of FBiH. According to this law, a civil servant can be transferred without their consent only in exceptional circumstances, which must be clearly justified.

"If this practice is carried out due to personal motives or with the aim of intimidating employees, it can be reasonably considered mobbing," the Union's letter states.

The Union further warns that there is a pronounced problem of staff shortages in almost all organizational units of the Tax Administration of FBiH, which further complicates work and raises doubts about the justification of current staff reallocations. If such a practice continues, they emphasize, there is a risk of numerous lawsuits due to mobbing, which could expose the institution to serious legal and reputational consequences.

The Union demands:

That all future transfers be carried out exclusively in accordance with laws and the collective agreement;

That the Union be consulted before any transfer decisions are made;

That a clear justification be provided for each transfer;

That permanent transfers without the consent of employees and the Union be suspended;

That all practices that could be interpreted as mobbing be immediately stopped.

In conclusion, the Union requests an urgent meeting with the management of the Tax Administration to resolve the identified irregularities and establish lawful and fair treatment of employees.

In conversations with some members of the FBiH Government, we learn that this is an agreement between the Prime Minister of FBiH Nermin Nikšić and the President of HDZ Dragan Čović. Of course, everything is done at the request of HDZ, so that companies operating in cantons where HDZ rules sovereignly remain 'untouched'.

"If it is true that these purges are being carried out as a result of an agreement between Nikšić and Čović on the distribution of control within the Tax Administration of FBiH, then we are no longer talking only about violations, but about serious undermining of institutions," warns our interlocutor.

Institutions are not political spoils, no matter how much Trojka and HDZ advocate for that model. Because, it is obvious that they think they will break employees through fear and arbitrariness.

They forgot that the law and the dignity of workers cannot be extinguished by decree, not even by a party agreement.

(A.Č.Z)