Nezavisne novine: The rebalance of budget of the Federation of BiH is necessary because the federal counter did not collect the stipulated money, has been said yesterday in Mostar by Vjekoslav Bevanda, Minister of Finance of the FBiH.
After the session of the FBiH Government he has said that the budget of the FBiH is in a serious crisis and has added that in first two months this year 21 million KM less has been collected in relation to 2008.
Payment of savings
The FBiH Government has at the yesterday's session in Mostar adopted the Decision on cash-payments of the verified claims by the basis of the account of old currency saving in the FBiH for 2009. In the public announcement it has been stated that each individual claimer, to whom the confirmation on verification has been issued, is being paid from the unified account of the treasury of the FBiH per maximum amount of 1.000 or the total amount of 1.000 KM.
''If the Ministry of Finance does not get a support in its efforts to overcome the crisis, it will come to a collapse, and the crisis will be much deeper than expected by the biggest pessimists. Therefore, the rebalance of budget of the FBiH is necessary'', Bevanda has said.
He thinks that the adoption of reform laws is also necessary for overcoming the crisis.
''Besides the reforms, in order to survive this year it will also be needed to combine the savings with investments in stimulations in agriculture, tourism and small and middle business. One of the possible solutions for overcoming the crisis is signing the arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank'', Bevanda has said.
He has explained that last week at the session of the Fiscal Council of BiH the state Ministry of Finance and Treasury has been obligated to start the consultations with the IMF.
''One of the basic conditions of the IMF is a reduction of public spending and restructuring the budget, however, as it goes in the Federation and how some decisions are being adopted in the Parliament, we are getting even further from the true possibility to sign the stand by arrangement'', Bevanda has said.
He has also said that the Government of the FBiH these days expects the answer of six commercial banks on possibility for the federal government to get into debt in a height of 160 million KM, which would cover the last year's deficit.
''Deficit must be closed. Besides the warnings of the Ministry of Finance, certain obligations have been created last year and if they do not get settled, we will be exposed to paying the court disputes with an interest rate of 12%. It is better to find any kind of solution, so going into debt by commercial banks is better than going into court disputes'', Bevanda has said.
He has concluded that one part of deficit will be closed by the funds received from succession as well.
''Funds of succession which have been out of function on the accounts of business banks by poor interest rates, have been de-blocked and around 120 million KM will be transferred to the FBiH. By those funds there will be solved some priority things from the last year's deficit'', Bevanda has said.