FBiH Government to propose minimum wage in 15 days

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - At a thematic session of the Economic and Social Council for the FBiH area held on Thursday in Mostar, it was generally agreed that the FBiH Government should establish a decree on the amount of the minimum wage in FBiH within the next fifteen days, so that social partners can give their proposals at the session on December 2.

The president of the Employers' Association of FBiH, Adnan Smailbegović, said after the session that they have already signed five branch agreements where they increased minimum wages by 25 percent.

– Today we generally agreed that the federal government will prepare a decree that would define the wage according to the existing legal solution but also according to a future solution which is quite certain, and send the decree again to the Economic and Social Council, which would give its proposals and suggestions – explained Smailbegović, noting that the final decision rests with the Government and that the decree, in his opinion, should come into effect next year.

According to him, employers advocate for the option that minimum wages be defined according to branches, i.e., that the wage differs in the metal industry and trade.

The representative of the trade union delegation in the ESC, Mevludin Bektić, reiterated that their proposal is for the minimum wage in FBiH to be 70 percent of the current average wage in FBiH.

– Currently, we do not want the minimum wage to be 406 marks in the Federation. We stand by the position that the minimum wage should be 70 percent of the average wage, which is 700 marks net without other wage allowances – explained Bektić.

When it comes to replacing fiscal cash registers, Smailbegović believes that it is an unnecessary expenditure of money.

– It was proposed to organize a round table and invite all interested parties and experts to find the best solution to reduce the gray economy and increase fiscal discipline. We believe that a software solution is the only correct one, and you choose the device that suits you. The Ministry of Finance proposed a different model, which is to procure new fiscal devices that are more modern and better, but this will cost the economy around 75 million marks, which we consider an unnecessary expenditure of money – says Smailbegović.

In addition, a round table should be organized on the issue of income tax on the sale of shares according to the currently valid Income Tax Law.

The price of electricity for economic entities was also on the agenda of the Economic and Social Council session, regarding which the Government tasked a working group at the thematic session, which will prepare a proposal within the next seven days.