FBiH Government: Base salary for police officers 540 KM, wholesale price of natural gas increases by four percent

(Patria) - The FBiH Government today, at a telephone session, upon the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs, adopted a Decision approving the Agreement on the base salary for police officers.

The Agreement stipulates the determination of the base salary in the amount of 540 KM for calculating the salaries of police officers, and that this base salary will be applied from January 1, 2026.

In order to determine the base salary for calculating the salaries of police officers, a proposal for the relevant decision was prepared, which includes the Agreement on the base salary for calculating the salaries of police officers concluded between the FBiH Government and the Trade Union of Employees of the Federal Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The proposer, among other things, states in the reasons for adopting the decision that the Law on Salaries and Allowances of Police Officers of FBiH stipulates that the amount of the base salary for calculating the salaries of police officers is determined based on the lowest net hourly wage agreed between the FBiH Government and the trade union, by multiplying the lowest net hourly wage by the monthly working hours.

Wholesale Price of Natural Gas

The FBiH Government today, upon the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Trade, adopted a Decision approving the wholesale price of natural gas for distribution companies in the FBiH, starting from January 1, 2026, which amounts to 827.42 KM/1,000 Sm³, or 0.82742 KM/Sm³ (t=15 °C, p=1.01325 bar, valid conditions for BiH), lower heating value of natural gas (Hd=34.075.60 kJ/Sm³).

The price of natural gas does not include value added tax.

The Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry and the Federal Ministry of Trade are tasked with implementing this decision, each within their jurisdiction.

As stated in the explanation, in accordance with the Decree on the organization and regulation of the gas economy sector and the Decision on measures for direct price control of certain products and services of interest to the FBiH, the Federal Ministry of Trade received a request from the company Energoinvest d.d. Sarajevo for approval of the change in the wholesale price of natural gas to distribution companies in the FBiH.

In its request, Energoinvest d.d. Sarajevo states that the new wholesale price of natural gas for distribution companies (privileged tariff customers) should increase by 3.99 percent, from the current 795.67 KM/1,000 Sm³ (0.79567 KM/Sm³) to 827.42 KM/1,000 Sm³ (0.82742 KM/Sm³).

In the explanation of the request, Energoinvest d.d. Sarajevo states that for the calculation of the natural gas price for tariff customers for the first quarter of 2026, all relevant indicators of average monthly prices of oil and oil derivatives according to the reference formula "Cargoes FOB Med Basis Italy" are specified.

Also, the gas supplier Gazprom Export LLC provided a calculation of the total price coefficient on January 12, 2026, which is increased by 3.99 percent compared to the previous quarter.

It is also stated that, based on the Decision of the Energy Regulatory Commission of Republika Srpska, an Annex to the contract with the natural gas transporter "Gas Promet Pale" was concluded in December 2025, which defined new tariffs for access to the transport system.

The application of these tariffs leads to an increase in natural gas transport costs by an additional 0.8 percent compared to the current transport costs. In order to reduce the pressure on the economy and end consumers of natural gas, Energoinvest d.d. Sarajevo states in its request that it will bear the aforementioned increase in transport costs at its own expense.

The explanation also states that along with Energoinvest's request, an opinion from the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry, as the line ministry, as well as the Decision of the Director of the company Energoinvest d.d. Sarajevo on determining the wholesale price of natural gas for distribution companies (privileged tariff customers) were submitted.

Also, in the tabular display of the movement of wholesale prices of natural gas, among other things, the data is provided that at the beginning of 2024, the wholesale price of natural gas was 869.15 KM/1,000 Sm³, and that it was reduced four times by the end of 2025.

Price Control of Products and Services

The FBiH Government, upon the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Trade, adopted a Decision amending and supplementing the Decision on measures for direct price control of certain products and services of interest to the FBiH, which deletes the words "determining the maximum price level for pellets".

In the explanation of the adopted amendments and supplements to this decision, the proposer clarifies that the FBiH Government adopted the Decision on amending and supplementing the Decision on measures for direct control of certain products and services of interest to the FBiH on October 24, 2025, after which the measure of direct control "determining the maximum price level for pellets" was prescribed, and that after the adoption of that decision, the Federal Ministry of Trade held meetings with representatives of pellet traders.

Furthermore, they explain that after a detailed analysis of the effects of the application of the prescribed measure, and in order to reach joint solutions in coordination with the representatives of traders that will ultimately satisfy the interests of citizens and ensure the stability and availability of products on the market, it was concluded that it is not necessary to continue with its implementation.

In this regard, in order to intervene in the FBiH market in a timely manner and prevent speculative and irresponsible behavior of all participants in the pellet supply chain, it was necessary to amend and supplement the aforementioned Decision, and to prescribe as a measure of direct control the measure of submitting notifications about changes in prices and margins for pellets (in the unit of KM/t), whose trade is carried out in wholesale and retail outlets.

A provision has been added that defines wood pellets as an energy source for which business entities are obliged to submit notifications of changes in prices and margins for pellets (in the unit of KM/t), whose trade is carried out in wholesale and retail outlets, to the Federal Ministry of Trade.

Decision Regarding the Airport

The FBiH Government adopted the information from the Federal Ministry of Transport and Communications on the need to adopt decisions regarding JP Međunarodni aerodrom Sarajevo d.o.o. Sarajevo.

The FBiH Government will, without delay, consider and act upon the Proposal of the Decision on giving prior consent for the dismissal of members of the Supervisory Board and the Proposal of the Decision on giving prior consent for the appointment of acting members of the Supervisory Board, in order to establish a functional management structure of the Company.

The Conclusion tasks JP Međunarodni aerodrom Sarajevo d.o.o. Sarajevo to, upon receiving the Decision on giving prior consent for the dismissal of members of the Supervisory Board and the Decision on giving prior consent for the appointment of acting members of the Supervisory Board, take all necessary actions without delay to implement the Conclusion of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo dated January 14, 2026, including the registration in the court register, in order to avoid negative consequences for the Company's operations and the status of the airport operator.

Furthermore, the Federal Ministry of Transport and Communications is tasked with monitoring the implementation of this conclusion.

The information states, among other things, that JP Međunarodni aerodrom Sarajevo d.o.o. Sarajevo informed the Ministry and the FBiH Government by letter about the new situation, which includes the Conclusion of the Municipal Court in Sarajevo, which orders JP Međunarodni aerodrom Sarajevo d.o.o. Sarajevo to supplement the application for registration of authorized persons in the court register, by submitting the Decision of the Supervisory Board on the dismissal and appointment of Management Board members, within a period of 30 days.

Short-Term Borrowing

The FBiH Government today, upon the proposal of the Federal Ministry of Finance, adopted four decisions on accepting short-term loan commitments.

This concerns short-term borrowing planned in the FBiH Budget for 2026. The funds will be used for expenditures planned in the FBiH Budget for 2026.