ZDK Prime Minister: Constitutionality of increased gambling taxes requested through regular procedure

I did not send the decision to increase municipal taxes for gambling businesses in Zenica to the Constitutional Court of FBiH through an urgent procedure, but through a regular one, because the Court does not recognize an urgent procedure in this case, said the Prime Minister of Zenica-Doboj Canton, Miralem Galijašević, after receiving criticism that he had requested an urgent opinion from the Constitutional Court regarding the dispute between gambling operators in Zenica and the City Administration.

At the end of last year, the Mayor of Zenica, Fuad Kasumović, proposed, and the councilors supported by a majority vote, a decision to increase municipal taxes for gambling businesses from approximately KM 3,000 to KM 30,000 to KM 50,000 per betting shop, depending on its location.

Gambling operators consider such a decision to be discriminatory.

- The Constitution of FBiH guarantees equal rights to all. These rights have been violated by the decision of the local authorities in Zenica - stated the operators.

Mayor Kasumović and some city councilors asked Prime Minister Galijašević for an explanation as to why, as they stated, he initiated an urgent review of the constitutionality of the additional taxation of games of chance. Kasumović said he suspected that powerful lobbies were behind Galijašević.

- The City of Zenica and I, as mayor, are not afraid of the verdict of the Constitutional Court of FBiH in this case. We are legalists and believe that the judicial bodies will do their job honestly. However, we are afraid of any hasty decisions - Kasumović told the Patria agency earlier.

In his response to the mayor and councilors, Prime Minister Galijašević said that there was no urgent procedure.

- The office of the Prime Minister of Zenica-Doboj Canton received a Request for review of the Decision on amendments and additions to the Decision on municipal taxes, signed by councilor A-SDA and gambling operators. Based on the submitted requests, and in accordance with the provisions of the Constitutional Court of FBiH, without delving into the merits, the Decision on amendments and additions to the Decision on municipal taxes of the Zenica City Council has been forwarded to the Constitutional Court of FBiH through a regular procedure (there is no urgent procedure) - the Prime Minister stated in his response.

The Constitutional Court of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina will determine whether the municipal taxes for operators in Zenica have been increased in accordance with the law, writes NAP.