Deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Bisera Turkovic has called on competent institutions to draft a plan of actions to mitigate the consequences of energy crisis and inflation.

She asked that the plan is prepared in cooperation between the state and entity institutions.

“The citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina have been struggling for weeks with heavy economic blows and consequences of the global energy crisis. The state must have an answer and create a plan with competent institutions at other levels (of authority) to mitigate those consequences,” said Turkovic.

She also said that, according to the Indirect Tax Authority, the incomes from indirect taxes in the first five months of 2022 have increased by 739 million marks (approx 377 million euro) or 23.88 percent compared to the same period in 2021.

Turkovic noted it was necessary to pass urgent measures so that the surplus of incomes is used for the planned and systemic support to citizens and economy in fighting the consequences of economic crisis.

“Expert bodies of the Bosnian Council of Ministers and other institutions should, in cooperation with the entity governments, the World Bank and other international institutions that have already offered assistance, develop an analysis, followed by a strategy and plan. The surplus of income collected from citizens and the economy must not be spent only on current consumption. Part of the funds needs to be reinvested in projects of energy diversification and reduction of energy dependence on one supplier. Surplus income comes directly from taxpayers and the state is obliged to return it to citizens through direct, targeted and systemic support and investments in the general interest,” Turkovic stressed.