Government Caused Fuel Price Increase, Now Seeking Inspection Assistance

By: A. Čorbo-Zećo

The Presidency of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA) decided to ask the Council of Ministers and the entity governments for relevant inspection bodies to check the formation of oil and petroleum product prices before and after the Law on Amendments to the Law on Excise Duties in BiH, as there are serious suspicions that this Law was misused to increase prices by more than necessary.

- We demand that appropriate measures be taken against such distributors and that the public be informed about it. The increase in road toll by 15 fening was introduced to speed up road construction in BiH and give a significant impetus to its economy, not for the unjustified enrichment of distributors - the SDA stated.

What the SDA, as well as the SBB, claimed would not happen, has happened, namely that there would be no price increase. The opposition was right. Life has become more expensive, and all citizens in our country feel it.

Firm promises fell by the wayside the day the new Excise Law came into effect. More expensive fuel leads to higher prices for fruits, vegetables, meat... Dairy products are becoming more expensive. Possibly bread too. Public transport ticket prices are going up. And all this after the amended Excise Law began to be applied on February 1st.

It is too late to seek inspections now, because the SDA and its coalition partners did not want to hear the opinions of experts during the adoption of the Excise Law, nor did they accept the conclusions of opposition parties regarding, for example, limiting the profit margin on fuel.

The Independent Bloc proposed limiting the profit margins on fuel for oil distributors and thus mitigating other price increases, but there was no goodwill for such an initiative.

- This is an example of manipulative and uninspired policy. Politicians and a party that first do everything to increase excise duties and fuel prices, and then do not support the proposal to limit profit margins on fuel and thus reduce the burden of price increases proposed by the Independent Bloc Caucus, after two months from the adoption of the law, are seeking an investigation due to excessive fuel price increases?! In addition, there are still prime ministers and most ministers in the governments. This is another attempt to underestimate and deceive people, which I am sure will be recognized - said Senad Šepić.

The SDA simply could not accept others' proposals!

Concluding the results of the party's annual activities at the end of December, SDA leader Bakir Izetbegović said that "by 2020, BiH has a chance to become the largest construction site in the Balkans."

- At the same time, there will be no significant price increases for consumer goods, but they will be within the projected inflation for 2018 - Izetbegović said.

The rhetoric is now somewhat different, but so are the demands. It is an election year, so citizens need to be convinced that they are living well.

- Regarding arbitrary assessments of a possible wave of price increases, they serve the purpose of opposition confusion and frightening citizens, in order to preemptively nullify the positive effects that will result from the launch of highway and road construction projects throughout BiH - Denis Zvizdić said.

Unfortunately, those "arbitrary" assessments turned out to be correct.

Most products are more expensive. Argeta has announced price increases starting in March, as have some chocolate manufacturers and suppliers. Cigarettes have become more expensive again since March 1st. Citizens could return the change to the current government in October at the General Elections.