Employers in FBiH outraged: EP BiH wants to increase electricity prices for businesses by 70 percent!

(Patria) - Businesses from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been receiving new offers for electricity supply in 2024 in recent days, with electricity prices increased by 70 percent or more, it was announced today by the Association of Employers of FBiH.

On this occasion, Adnan Smailbegović, president, and Mario Nenadić, director of the Association of Employers of FBiH, spoke with Vedran Lakić, the federal minister of energy, mining, and industry, and informed him that employers oppose any additional increase in electricity prices for businesses in FBiH.

"The scenario from 2021 is repeating itself, and again, the problems accumulated in the operations of Elektroprivreda BiH are being attempted to be solved by increasing the price of electricity for businesses in FBiH. We remind you that in 2022 and 2023, the price of electricity for businesses has already increased by a total of 44 percent, and Elektroprivreda BiH is still in trouble! We definitely consider it unacceptable and oppose any new increase in electricity prices for businesses in FBiH, because it is evident that the causes of problems in this sector are not solely related to the price of electricity, but rather to numerous other issues, which are not and should not be the responsibility of employers," stated Adnan Smailbegović, president of UPFBiH, categorically.

UPFBiH emphasizes that an increase in electricity prices for businesses would have detrimental consequences for the economy and the further standard of living for citizens.

The intention to increase the price of electricity occurs at a time when there has been no progress in reducing the cost of labor, social burdens are increasing, there are no changes in the expensive and unsustainable healthcare sector, parafiscal charges are not decreasing, all of which will further halt investments, lead to a wave of price increases, and ultimately, all citizens will pay the price through increased inflation!

"With the Law on Electricity in FBiH, adopted in July this year, the conditions and price of supply have changed for many businesses in FBiH, as several thousand entrepreneurs, small businesses, and crafts will transition from public to market supply in accordance with the new provisions of the Law, which significantly increases the price of electricity. We in the Association were aware of this provision in the Law, we did not oppose it, nor did we seek its amendment, because we consider it fair and a solution that will bring new revenues to Elektroprivreda BiH. However, it is evident that even that was not enough, and that businesses in FBiH are now being asked to solve all the apparent accumulated deficits of this public company through higher prices, which is a very wrong path," emphasizes Smailbegović.