Nezavisne novine: SARAJEVO – By rebalance of the budget of the FBiH, which should be prepared for the session of the Government of the FBiH for beginning of the next month, to all budget users in the FBiH for the last quarter the expenditures will be reduced linearly by 34.1%.

This has been yesterday announced by Emir Silajdžić, assistant for the budget in the Ministry for Finance of the FBiH.

“We have through pre-structuring ensured about 148 million KM, but the biggest problem is the excess which last year was smaller than planned, and this year the revenues are smaller than our plan. We also have the balance of distribution with the RS and revenue reduction after signing the Stabilization and Association Agreement”, says Silajdžić and claims that “however, the budget is stable”.

Vatrić: I do not believe that someone would accept the salary reduction

In the Parliament of the FBiH, which will at the end approve the rebalance, they consider that 34.1% for “linear reduction” is not a good recipe.

“Linear reduction would mean that the salaries are reducing by that percent, and I do not believe that someone would accept that. From the other side, some ministries have the biggest expenditures in the last quarter and then they would remain without money, and there are some which already spent all money”, has been said by Vatrić.  

According to available information, the FBiH has for the first eight months of this year collected about 290 million KM less than planned, and currently the bills in amount of 66 million KM are waiting on payment. According to unofficial information, in previous months regardless of problems with money, the Government of the FBiH has separated about 150 million KM for projects of lower levels, primarily the municipalities.

Omer Vatrić, chairman of the Board for Finance at the Parliament of the FBiH, considers that reduction of expenditures of the projects which cannot be realized until the end of this year, or eventual excesses by some users, should all be taken into consideration.

“I do not have enough of data on that rebalance, but I think that linear reduction with the high percent is not a good move of the Government of the FBiH in planning finances and leading financial politics”, says Vatrić.