KS Government Drafts Budget for 2025 in the Amount of 1,478,000,000 KM

(Patria) - The KS Government has drafted the KS Budget for 2025 in the amount of 1,478,000,000 KM and sent it to the parliamentary procedure, with a proposal for a 15-day public debate.

"Our ambition is for the Sarajevo Canton to have an adopted budget by the end of the current year again. Regarding the revenue side, the projection of public revenues from the Federal Ministry was the backbone of planning the revenue side of the KS budget. According to this projection, a decrease in profit tax and income tax is expected, and an increase in indirect taxes. However, citizens of KS will unfortunately not feel this increase in indirect taxes due to the amendment of the law on the distribution of public revenues and the infamous weight that is further reduced to 1.3 in 2025. In this regard, the budget for the next year is challenging," said the Prime Minister of Sarajevo Canton, Nihad Uk.

He emphasized that, despite these challenges, the achieved quality of public service provision to all citizens will not be diminished.

"There will be no cancellation or reduction of subsidies for kindergartens, extended stay, free public transport for pensioners and our students, free textbooks, maternity benefits, scholarships, and excursions for students. Our commitment is not to reduce this level of service, but to find a modus to overcome the financially challenging period ahead of us," the Prime Minister stressed.

He announced investments in the continuation of initiated and the realization of new significant infrastructural projects for the city.

"This includes the continuation of water supply system rehabilitation and the construction of city roads. We are close to 'unblocking' the Zero Transversal, and work is also underway on the First Transversal, i.e., the construction of the Kobilja Glava tunnel, which will gain usability as soon as it connects to Alipašina Street. The tender for the Southern Longitudinal was issued 10 days ago, and we expect the completion of the Southern Longitudinal from Grbavica Stadium towards Hamdije Čemerlića Street next year. We expect significant progress in 2025 regarding the construction of the Twelfth Transversal. We are also continuing with the renewal of the vehicle fleet, the purchase of additional trams, as well as the modernization of minibus and bus transport. We expect procedures and tenders to be initiated next year. We are also continuing with energy efficiency projects, the construction of the Ilidža-Hrasnica tram line, improving air quality, and building bicycle paths. The construction of the University Library is also a focus," stated Prime Minister Uk.

He announced the continuation of the construction of the Zmajevac barracks and the purchase of additional apartments for the veteran population.

The draft also envisages a series of projects in the field of healthcare, including the digitalization of pathohistology, the procurement of medical equipment, as well as the renovation of healthcare facility buildings.

The Ministry of Education and Science is also continuing with the realization of numerous infrastructural projects in accordance with the planned funds, which, according to new legal provisions, amount to 3.5 percent of the total Budget. The construction of schools in Pofalići, Šip, and Rosulje, as well as the reconstruction and equipping of a number of school buildings, are planned, the Prime Minister stated, among other things.

The Minister of Finance of KS, Afan Kalamujić, emphasized that the focus of future activities will be on limiting the deficit and increasing revenues. He also announced restrictive measures through the operational Budget, instead of a Rebalance for this year.

"During the final discussions between the Government and the political leadership regarding the rebalance of the Sarajevo Canton budget, we received a reduced revenue projection for the last quarter of this year from the Federal Ministry of Finance, amounting to 25 million KM. Due to this projection from the Federation, and considering the previous discussions that ranged from 34 million KM to 40 million KM, the total amount of the rebalance would not have had a particular purpose, as it would have had to be brought to an amount that would create a significant cut and that everyone would feel more deeply.

Accordingly, the Government has committed to reduced spending, which will be limited through the operational budget for agreed-upon items. This will be allocated to cover salaries, and the remainder to reduce the deficit for this year. My role will not be popular at all - I am the one who will have to be, in a way, the voice of conscience for my colleagues from other departments, but also a supervisor of overall spending until the end of this budget year. This means that spending from the Sarajevo Canton Budget will be under the supervision of the Ministry of Finance and myself as minister in terms of curbing the deficit. I hope that this will serve to return us to the path of maximum financial responsibility, and that the aforementioned will only be purposeful if all colleagues from the Government adhere to the agreement," stated Minister Kalamujić.