WORKERS ON STRIKE, BUT WITHOUT EFFECT: The Trio stalls, HDZ takes over: FBiH Tax Administration in political chaos!?

Written by: A. Čorbo-Zećo

A warning strike is ongoing at the Tax Administration of the Federation of BiH, which is almost unknown to the public, although workers are using this action to appeal for the fulfillment of their demands.

At the same time, the institution's leadership is in a chaotic state. On December 11, 2025, the FBiH Government, at an emergency session, adopted a decision appointing Muhamed Hasanović, Deputy Minister of Finance and Treasury of BiH, as Director of the Tax Administration. This decision revoked the earlier authorization for Admir Omerbašić to organize tasks and sign documents within the director's competence. However, Hasanović ultimately declined the appointment, and since that day, Omerbašić has not signed any document, while Deputy Slobodan Vukoja is performing these duties.

This has led to a situation where the Tax Administration is practically managed by the HDZ BiH, which could continue for some time, as the competition for the director position has not yet been resolved, and there is informal talk of its annulment and the announcement of a new one.

It is entirely unclear how the Trio, primarily the SDP, ended up in a situation where they are unable to finalize the director appointment process. In other words, it is unclear why Hasanović applied at all, especially from the position of Deputy Minister of Finance of BiH.

Although his decision to withdraw from the position of Director of the FBiH Tax Administration was characterized as a strategic act, everything we are witnessing once again confirms the Trio's inability to manage processes. In all of this, the HDZ BiH profits, gaining not only all the institutions that fell to them in the distribution of power but also institutions that were nominally supposed to belong to the Trio parties.

The situation is further exacerbated by the FBiH Government's announcement of implementing fiscal reforms. Paradoxically, the very institution that should be leading these reforms is functioning without legitimate leadership, in a state of legal and institutional blockade.

Such a state of affairs indicates a serious problem in the functioning of one of the key institutions of the FBiH financial system. The lawful and uninterrupted operation of the Tax Administration is crucial for the collection of public revenues, legal certainty for taxpayers, and the functioning of the budget system.

According to the current job classification, the FBiH Tax Administration is missing about 500 employees. Officials are on a warning strike due to a series of illegalities, inadequate working conditions, and years of neglect of their status and professional needs.

In such an environment, it is difficult to expect consistent implementation of even existing laws, let alone the introduction of a new, complex fiscalization system that the FBiH Government announces as a key reform.

An additional problem is the outdated information system of the Tax Administration, which was previously unable to fully support already established fiscalization models, further calling into question the institution's capacity to carry out the announced reforms.