Budget for Ministry of Defence, Presidency of BiH, Srebrenica Memorial Center reduced, while budget for MFA, SPS, Indirect Taxation Authority, RAK increased

(Patria) - The BiH Council of Ministers will consider the Draft Budget of BiH Institutions and International Obligations for 2024 at its session tomorrow, and if adopted as agreed by coalition partners at the meeting in Mostar on Monday, the Draft will be sent to the BiH Presidency, which will submit the Proposal to the BiH Parliamentary Assembly as the proposer. According to the Draft, the total budget is planned at 1,355,400,000 KM.

According to the Draft prepared by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, headed by SNSD's Srđan Amidžić, some institutions and ministries have a reduced budget compared to 2023, while some have a significantly increased budget.

Thus, the budget has been increased for the BiH Ministry of Foreign Affairs, headed by Elmedin Konaković, by 1,032,000 KM compared to 2023, with a total budget of 67,409,000 KM.

The budget has also been increased for the BiH Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, headed by Staša Košarac (SNSD), by 1,980,000 KM, with a total budget of 12,819,000 KM.

An increase of 5,756,000 KM is planned for the Indirect Taxation Authority, headed by SNSD's Zoran Tegeltija, bringing the total planned budget for this institution to 178,440,000 KM.

The budget for the BiH Presidency has been reduced by 931,000 KM, with a total planned budget of 10,060,000 KM.

One of the largest reductions is planned for the BiH Ministry of Defence, by 3,507,000 KM, so the total budget for 2024 will be 388,752,000 KM. The Draft also foresees a budget reduction for the Srebrenica Memorial Center by 85,000 KM.

The Service for Foreigners' Affairs (SPS) received an increase of 5,912,000 KM, while the BiH Border Police, which must hire new staff and bears the burden of the migrant crisis, had its budget reduced by 442,000 KM.

The budget for the Communications Regulatory Agency has been increased by 1,156,000 KM.

The Speaker of the House of Representatives of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, Nebojša Radmanović, called on MPs at today's continuation of the session to be ready for sessions after July 15, both regular and urgent, for the adoption of the budget once the BiH Presidency sends it into procedure.

Regarding the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliamentary Assembly, even though the Bosniak Caucus did not attend the continuation of the interrupted session, they announced they will attend an urgent session when the budget is to be adopted.