ALARM SOUNDED: Number of pensioners in FBiH increased by 2,287 users in two months, while the number of employed is falling

(Patria) - In just two months, the number of employed people in FBiH decreased by 5,134. Data for September from the FBiH Tax Administration has not yet been released and is expected by mid-month.

In the last two months, the number of pensioners in FBiH has increased by 2,287. Thus, 461,857 beneficiaries will receive pensions for September, requiring approximately 314.5 million KM. For example, in August, 309,083,243 KM were collected for PIO contributions.

The latest data on the number of employed in FBiH is from August, when there were 541,921 employed individuals. The difference between the number of employed and the number of pensioners in the FBiH entity is currently only 80,661, which is far below the European average.

However, it seems that the parties of the Trojka, which together with HDZ are shaping the government in FBiH, are not concerned by these figures.

Although there is a shortage of labor in FBiH, and employment bureaus register thousands of unemployed, the question arises: where is the problem?

Is there really a shortage of labor, and there is, as we see from the difficulty in finding craftsmen and the constant search for employees in stores, or is it a false picture of the number of "unemployed" persons on the records of employment services? Although the government announced controls and removal from unemployment lists of those who refuse job offers from employers, official statistics remain devastating.

Official statistics on the age structure of the working population in FBiH are also not ideal, and with the constant departure of the working population from BiH, the situation is becoming increasingly difficult.

Employers are pressuring the government to open doors for more foreign workers who want to do jobs for which there is clearly no labor force in FBiH or which are not adequately paid.

If the statistics on the number of employed and pensioners continue to move at this pace, the contributions paid by employers for PIO will not be sufficient to cover the costs of pension payments.

Federal Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić has already accused employers of not increasing wages despite the reduction in contribution rates, forcing the Government to add money for pension payments.

The sequence of measures introduced by the FBiH Government in the last year has significantly impacted economic conditions. The introduction of non-working Sundays in retail (November 2024), the increase in the minimum wage from 619 to 1,000 KM (January 2025), and the reduction of contributions (July 2025) have caused disruptions in the labor market.

The real effects of the Government's measures will be seen by the end of the year.