Employers in FBiH Urgently Seek Social Agreement

(Patria) - The Employers' Association of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina demands that authorities at all levels do their job responsibly and conscientiously, with the aim of preserving the lives and health of citizens, jobs and the economy. The statement of the Employers' Association of FBiH states that decisive and smart leadership and readiness for urgent action are needed at this moment.

"Anyone in the institutions who is not ready to make smart, wise decisions and act urgently should immediately withdraw from the position they hold and make way for someone who wants, knows, and can work, and there are quite enough of them in this country," they stated.

UPFBiH states that they are continuously working to find solutions that will preserve lives and health, jobs, and economic flows in FBiH. In relation to the above, UPFBiH demands that the competent institutions of the Federation of BiH and the Cantons urgently implement the following measures:

1. Urgent signing of a Temporary Social Agreement with the Government and the trade union, which will, during its validity:

- Prohibit the dismissal of workers due to the crisis;
- Introduce the institute of waiting;
- Regulate employees' annual leave;
- Regulate employees' work from home;
- Reduce salaries for those whose work is temporarily not needed, but not less than the minimum wage;
- Reduce salaries in the public sector by 20 percent;
- Regulate the employer's obligation to pay salaries in the agreed amount;
Precisely define the refund of part of the salary by the state, etc.
If the trade union does not agree to sign the Temporary Social Agreement, then a lex specialis should be passed to regulate these issues.

2. Urgent adoption of the budget rebalance at the level of FBiH, cantons, municipalities, and cities, and all revenue, except that which is necessary for the functioning of the system, should be redirected to preventing the spread of infection, social and health security of citizens, and preserving the economy;

3. For all workers who lost their jobs due to the decisions of the system's institutions (ban on work, ban on movement, ban on transport, etc.), salary refunds are provided by the state at the level that made such decisions;

4. Legal and natural persons, who request it, be exempted from paying all taxes and contributions. After the period of validity of the decision, write off that part of these claims proportionally to the reduction in the collection of claims, and collect the remaining part in 60 monthly installments, without interest;

5. Insist with the banking agency and banks that they abandon their autistic approach and allow a moratorium to everyone who requests it, otherwise the Federation and cantons should buy these loans and regulate their repayment after the crisis ends;

6. Temporarily postpone the deadlines for payment of direct taxes, tax advances and parafiscal charges, abolish and reduce the costs of renting business premises owned by the state;

7. Suspend enforcement proceedings and compulsory collection proceedings for natural and legal persons;

8. Cease charging utility services for natural and legal persons, and after the crisis ends, proceed to resolve the issue of uncollected claims.

The Employers' Association of FBiH calls for individual and particular interests to be forgotten in these times of crisis, for solidarity to be shown, and for the damage of the crisis to individuals, society, and the economy to be reduced.