FBiH Government adopts budget for 2021 exceeding 5.4 billion KM

SARAJEVO, (Patria) – The FBiH Government, at today's session, adopted the Draft Budget for 2021 in the amount of 5 billion and 436 million KM. It will be sent to the parliamentary procedure under an urgent procedure. Compared to 2019, it is lower by 72.6 million KM. 

Prime Minister Fadil Novalić pointed out that 230 million KM will go to lower levels of government.

“This budget is a reflection of economic policy, taking into account what happened on the economic and social level this year, which was marked by COVID-19, and what we expect in the next year. We have high expectations, we see that vaccination has already started in the world, based on all of the above, we have created the budget for 2021,” said Novalić.

He added that the balance of the coronavirus pandemic is 14,000 lost jobs, a drop in direct revenues by 0.7 percent, and indirect taxes fell by 15.8 percent.

Minister of Finance Jelka Milićević also addressed the press conference, telling the media that she would not resign after an indictment was filed against her in connection with the "Respirator" affair.

“I have full legitimacy. I did not perform my duties negligently. So, if I performed my duties negligently, someone must prove and show it. At this moment, it is not a question of the conscientious work of the Minister of Finance, it is a question of the conscientious work of the Ministry of Finance. We have laws. These laws have been fully respected at every segment, at every moment,” said Milićević.

She stated that she does not accept the indictment filed by the Prosecutor's Office.

“I and the Ministry of Finance will strive with all our might to show and prove that we perform our duties very conscientiously. To manage a budget of five billion KM and for someone to tell you that you are performing your duties negligently without any argument is an insult to the profession, especially an insult to the Minister of Finance. I responsibly claim from this place that I do not wish to resign, I will not resign until the appointee requests it from the Minister of Finance in the FBiH Government,” said Milićević.

After the resignation of acting director Mustafa Kadribegović, the FBiH Government today appointed Enes Memić as the new acting director of the Federal Civil Protection Administration.

Edita Đapo, the Federal Minister of Environment and Tourism, speaking today in Sarajevo about the implementation of the FBiH Government's Decree on aid to tourism in the amount of 30 million KM, to mitigate the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic, said that 340 entities will receive assistance.

The aid is for salaries and operating costs for the period from July to December 31 this year, and the money will be paid out by the end of January at the latest.

“Following the Decree on aid to the most affected sectors, the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism issued a public call to which 415 entities applied, of which 340 received assistance. Of these, 192 are hotels, 98 travel agencies, 21 tour operators, five guides, 18 newly established business entities, and six spas. The most significant portion of the aid is realized in the Sarajevo Canton, which received 15 million KM, HNK six million KM, USK 2.5 million KM, Tuzlanski two million KM. The aid they received is for salaries and operating costs from July 1 to December 31 this year,” said Đapo.

She reminded that the tourism sector was the most affected by the pandemic, not only in our country but also in the world.

“In Bosnia and Herzegovina, during the lockdown, hotels and travel agencies were not banned from operating, but in many cantons, they did not receive any form of assistance. The only assistance was from the FBiH Government based on the "corona law". I will remind you that the Council of Ministers of BiH kept the borders closed for a long time, so in many parts of FBiH, there was actually no tourism. Precisely because of this, the FBiH Government decided to support the tourism sector, along with transport, industry, and agriculture, with 30 million KM,” said the minister.