SIPA Trade Union: Shameful Decision by the Council of Ministers of BiH on the Base Salary Amount

(Patria) - The Trade Union of the State Investigation and Protection Agency (SIPA) reacted with a statement after the Council of Ministers of BiH, at the proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, today adopted the Decision on the amount of the base salary for employees in BiH institutions for 2025 in the amount of 631.50 KM, which represents an increase of 31.5 KM compared to 600 KM in 2024.

By adopting the base salary amount, the Council of Ministers has determined the minimum base amount allowed by the Law on Salaries and Allowances in BiH Institutions, which stipulates that the base salary amount cannot be lower than 50% of the average monthly net salary in BiH, expressed annually for the calendar year that precedes by two fiscal years the year in which the base salary will be applied.

"At the end of 2023, the average salary was 1,263 KM. In the period so far, the base salary amount has ranged from 54% to 58%, but it has never been at the lowest point because the same provision was introduced into the Law as protection for employees in institutions.

However, even this meager increase in the base salary, which will bring an increase of 50 KM to administrative staff in institutions, will not please employees from January 1, given that the budget has not been adopted, nor is it known when it will be, and there is no retroactive application.

Representative Trade Unions requested that the base salary amount for 2025 be set at 680 KM, which would somewhat mitigate the consequences of inflation and at least give employees a little hope that someone in the institutions cares.

However, with this decision, the Council of Ministers has shown total neglect and misunderstanding towards ordinary people - employees in the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

At the same time, salaries of employees in judicial and prosecutorial bodies have, according to our information, increased by 12.5%, and the base salary for their calculation is 674 KM, which represents discrimination against all others working in the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

We must point out that even these 31.5 KM bring an increase of at least 300 KM per month to the same ministers who adopted the decision on the base salary amount, on top of their basic 5,400 KM, which they already receive along with various other allowances.

Representative trade unions will, in the coming period, after consultations, make a Decision on further procedures and activities aimed at protecting the rights of employees," announced the SIPA Trade Union.