KS Assembly Adopts Amendments to Law to Aid Economy, Health Workers to Receive Incentives

SARAJevo, (Patria) – The Bill on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Mitigating Negative Economic Consequences and Savings in KS was adopted by the Assembly of KS with 27 votes.

The Assembly also voted on four conclusions from SDA, which were rejected. One of the conclusions was to pay 1,000 KM each to healthcare workers and those who participated in the fight against coronavirus. The KS Government rejected this amendment, stating that incentives would be paid through the KS Health Insurance Fund.

"We, as the Government, will ensure that this is paid through the financial plan of the KS HIF. That is why we do not want it to be included in this law; we support this incentive, perhaps not in this amount, but there will certainly be incentives for healthcare workers who fought against Covid-19," said Forto. 

Six conclusions from SDP BiH, relating to special conditions that economic entities must meet to receive funds, as well as monitoring the use of subsidies, received the support of 22 deputies.

The conclusions oblige the KS Government, after receiving applications and analyzing them, and before officially publishing the list of subsidized economic entities, to officially, through the Cantonal Court and the FBiH Tax Administration,
obtain all relevant information so that the planned funds are paid exclusively to economic
entities:

1. Against whose responsible persons no proceedings for economic crime are being conducted before the competent judicial bodies;
2. That all tax obligations have been settled as of January 31, 2021.
3. That the planned funds be paid on the condition of proof of payment of salaries to all employees registered on the day of submitting the application by the economic entity for subsidies.
4. To open a toll-free telephone line for reporting any malversations that employees can report.
5. The Office for Combating Corruption is tasked with overseeing the implementation of the Law, and reporting to the Assembly every 30 days.
6. The Ministry of Finance is obliged to ensure continuous monitoring of the lawful implementation of subsidies in order to ensure regular payment of salaries to employees.

The Government accepted the amendments by the Speaker of the Assembly, Elvedin Okerić. The first relates to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, i.e., the Police Administration, which is given the possibility to increase the number of employees in order to maintain the operational capacity of the Police Administration and ensure the smooth performance of duties, which will be determined by the new Rulebook on Internal Organization.

The second amendment obliges the KS Government to transfer self-financed students who have passed all exams from the previous year with an average of 8.0 or higher to budget financing. The KS Government accepted a reduction in its revenue from UNSA in the amount of two-thirds of the tuition fees for 2020/2021, and undertook to find a way to refund the funds to students who paid the full amount of tuition fees.