A worker employed in a wholesale tobacco company in Istocno Sarajevo has received a net salary of 246,506 KM for one month, marking the highest reported individual salary in Republika Srpska for the first nine months of this year, according to the Tax Administration of Republika Srpska.

A worker employed in a wholesale tobacco company in Istocno Sarajevo has received a net salary of 246,506 KM (€126,000) for one month, marking the highest reported individual salary in Republika Srpska for the first nine months of this year, according to the Tax Administration of Republika Srpska.

This salary amounts to 174 times the average salary in Republika Srpska, which was 1,411 KM (€720) in August.

The second highest salary was paid to a worker in Kotor Varos employed in the footwear industry, with a net amount of 197,026 KM (€100,300).

Other notable salaries include 117,158 KM (€59,600) for a worker in Banja Luka in financial services, and two additional salaries in Banja Luka of 109,516 KM (€55,700) and 100,414 KM (€51,100) in the sectors of financial services and machinery trade for mining and construction.

Dr. Sinisa Pepic, an expert in economic diplomacy, commented that these high salaries reflect the financial dynamics and the profitability of certain industries, particularly the tobacco trade. He emphasized that such high-earning positions could signal a strong economy and highlighted the need for more equitable wealth distribution.

Economist Milenko Stanic expressed concerns about such extreme salaries, suggesting they may not be directly tied to the labor output of these companies and speculated that these individuals might be connected to ownership in the companies.