SDS's proposal to reduce excise taxes has great prospects, support from Zelenika also expected

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The caucus of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS) in the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina has submitted amendments to the Law on Excise Taxes under an urgent procedure.

As things stand, this proposal could be accepted on July 5, when the session of the House of Representatives of the PSBiH is scheduled.

Representatives Aleksandra Pandurević, Mladen Bosić, Nenad Lalić, and Momčilo Novaković expect to be supported in their proposal by all colleagues who were against the increase in excise taxes last time, as well as those who have since realized that citizens cannot afford further price increases.

SDS MPs in the State Parliament expect support from Diana Zelenika (HDZ 1990) as well, who previously supported the increase in excise taxes.

The amendments to the Law on Excise Taxes would repeal the law by which road tolls were increased by 15 feninga plus VAT in December last year, which means that fuel prices in BiH would be reduced by 18 feninga per liter, or an average of 10 KM per tank.

The opposition points out that the current reduction in fuel prices by five feninga per liter is merely "cosmetic and pre-election".

For the SDS's Bill to be adopted, 22 votes are needed, if voting takes place at full capacity. The party currently has 19 guaranteed votes, with the voting intentions of the caucus of the Democratic People's Alliance remaining unknown. These include former SDS members who did not support the increase in excise taxes, but at the time were part of the SDS and the Alliance for Changes. It is also not excluded that MPs from the Alliance for a Better Future will provide support, which would ultimately be enough for the law to be adopted, despite the opposition from the caucuses of SDA, HDZ, and SNSD to this request.

As things stand, the following will vote for the law: SDS (4 votes), SDP (3 votes), DF (5 votes), NB (3 votes), Mixed Caucus of Representatives (3 votes), HDZ 1990 (1 vote).