Nezavisne novine: SARAJEVO – The Council of Ministers of BiH established yesterday the proposals of the laws on Fiscal Council of BiH and on Salaries in Institutions of BiH. That was confirmed after the session by Nikola Špirić, the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BiH.
“We established the drafts of two very important system laws. The Law on Fiscal Council is a condition of the European Union in the process of establishment of a unified economic space in BiH. By Draft Law on Salaries an order is introduced in this area, as well as the principle that for equal work everybody have approximately equal salaries, no matter in which institution they work”, Špirić clarified.
Minister of Finances of BiH, Dragan Vrankić, pointed out that the salaries of all the employees of state institutions, including the judges, prosecutors and employees of independent regulatory agencies will be calculated by a unique law.
“The amount of the base of the salary will be set on the basis of amount of an average salary in BiH. We are introducing a principle of a quotient for calculation of salaries, salary grades, but also the variable part of the salary for stimulations and special conditions of work. By that we ensured the possibility for us to introduce an order in this area for the first time since there are institutions of BiH”, said Vrankić.
He pointed out that the representatives of independent regulatory agencies, judges and prosecutors complained on this manner of calculation of salaries and asked that they exempt from the law, justifying that by the need for independence. Vrankić, on the other hand, thinks that these institutions will remain completely independent, because the Council of Ministers will not be able to influence the amount of their salaries.
“Agency for Statistics calculates the average salary in BiH, the law established the quotients and a salary grade, and a manager of an institution has a right, considering the conditions of work and specifics of the job, to set the variable part of the salary. I do not see how these solutions make anybody dependent on anybody”, said Vrankić.
Salary of the members of the Presidency 5.000 KM
According to yesterday established proposal, the Chairperson of the Council of Ministers will have a salary of 4.700 KM, and the Minister of Finances of around 4.200 KM. The highest salary will be the one of the members of the Presidency of BiH and the President of the Constitutional Court of BiH. Quotient for calculation of their salary is 10, which means that they will receive around 5.000 KM per month. Yesterday established draft law stipulates that Fiscal Council of BiH consists of Chairperson of the Council of Ministers, entity Prime Ministers, and the state and entity ministers of finances. Fiscal Council will be in charge of adoption of global framework financial balance and policies in BiH, adoption of draft short term and mid term macroeconomic policies.
“Simplified, if we had the Fiscal Council of BiH, we would not have so many problems with adoption of the budget”, added Vrankić.
Vrankić asked for moratorium on the Law on Return of savings in the RS
Draft Law on Salaries stipulates that quotient for calculation of salaries of police officers in state police agencies is 1.29, but they received special remunerations for night work and for holiday work, as well as for specific conditions of work.
“I think that in this way we became closer to demands of the unions of police officers”, said Vrankić. State Minister of Finances also confirmed that he asked from the Constitutional Court of BiH to stop the application of the Law on Return of the Old Foreign Currency Savings in the RS. Vrankić claims that this Law is in contradiction with the complete system of return of the old foreign currency savings and issuing of the state bonds.