A new session of the Economic-Social Council (ESC) was held, focusing on the government’s decision to increase the minimum wage. Safudin Cengic, the ESC president, addressed the media, outlining the decisions made and the conclusions adopted during the meeting. Pročitaj više

“We reached certain conclusions aimed at ensuring that both workers and employers, who will pay the wages, are satisfied following the government’s decision on the minimum wage, once specific regulations and decrees are adopted,” Cengic stated.

He explained that ESC members support the government’s initiative, particularly the reduction of contributions for wages above and around 1,000 Bosnian marks (€511).

“We concluded that the minimum wage of 1,000 Bosnian marks (€511) will be defined, and contributions up to that amount will be adjusted. Refunds for part of the contributions, up to a maximum of 304 Bosnian marks (€155), will be regulated through legal acts in the next seven days,” he added.

Cengic also noted that wage increases prompted by the minimum wage adjustment, up to 450 Bosnian marks (€230), should be exempt from contribution payments.
“This exemption will enable employers to raise wages for other employees while the government’s decision effectively releases the obligation to pay contributions on those increases,” he explained.

He stressed the importance of preparing fiscal laws that must be adopted by September 30, ensuring they can be implemented from January 1, 2026.
The next ESC session is scheduled for January 31.

“The upcoming session on January 31 will specifically address all the documents I mentioned earlier, while in the meantime, both the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples will need to adopt everything discussed,” Cengic concluded.

FBiH Prime Minister Nermin Niksic also said that certain employers will have the right to a refund if they raise salaries above 1,000 marks (€500):

Those who show with their pay slips for November and pay slips for January that they increased the wages of these workers who had 1,000 marks and more, up to the amount of 450 marks (€225), will be exempt from paying additional contributions. Of course, this does not mean that everyone will have 450 marks raised. That’s up to the employers, depending on the complexity of the workplace and work, who will have space and opportunities to raise wages. So, for someone who had a salary of 1,100 marks (€550), and now it increases to 1,400 (€700) or 1,500 (€750), employers will be exempt from contributions for that difference,” explained Niksic.