Specifically, we discussed with Minister Delić the status of persons with disabilities, that is, their monthly incomes, which until now were tied to the minimum wage.
“Regarding the issue of increasing disability benefits, I would like to first emphasize that for the last 13-14 years, the basis for benefits for persons with disabilities was fixed at a maximum amount of 401 KM. This required 139 million KM in the budget. With the arrival of the new government and the amendment of the law, the maximum amount of disability allowance was increased by 70%, that is, from 401 KM to 728 KM of the maximum amount,” Delić tells us.
In the first year, our interlocutor says, it required an additional 80 million KM to this 139 million KM, and in 2023, about 220 million KM was spent on disability benefits.
“An additional 41 million KM was provided in 2024, and another 20 million in 2025, so that allocations for the disabled in 2025 total 280 million KM. This is an increase of 141 million KM, and it should be emphasized that during this period, while benefits for persons with disabilities increased by 141 million KM, other social benefits remained stagnant. Regardless of how someone interprets it, this is a significant increase that shows the commitment of the FBiH Government and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities,” he pointed out.
However, the continuation of the current calculation model would be unsustainable, according to Minister Delić, and could and would certainly threaten other social benefits and rights in the social protection system.
“So, if disability benefits were to increase in accordance with the current law, according to which the bases for disability benefits are linked to the minimum wage, i.e. 80% of the minimum wage this would mean that the basic disability benefits would increase to 800 KM, and the maximum amount of disability benefits would reach 1,176 KMand the costs for disability benefits would increase to 490 million KM per year, which would represent an additional burden of 210 million KM. This would threaten the financing of other social programs, the reception of other vulnerable categories, and even the disabled themselves, and would call into question the budgetary sustainability of the entire Federation,” emphasized Delić.
Therefore, in accordance with the Government’s decision to embark on a comprehensive fiscal reform, amendments to all regulations related to the minimum wage were proposed and many of them have already been amended, such as the laws regulating veterans’ benefits, the Protection Act civilian victims of war, and the Law on Uniform Principles and Material Support Framework, which is currently in the process of adoption.
“Therefore, it is not true that the bases are fixed by the new law, because the planned changes to the law will enable a controlled increase in disability benefits every year, in line with economic growth, and not by leaps and bounds, which strives to ensure the long-term sustainability of social protection for all beneficiaries of social protection, not just one categories and not for the short-term purchase of social peace. The new law proposes a new formula for the annual adjustment of bases that takes into account the growth of consumer prices and GDP, which would increase disability benefits in a controlled manner without being tied to the minimum wage. In this way, disability benefits would retain their purpose, i.e. equalizing the opportunities of people with disabilities with healthy people, without disrupting the relationship to work income or excessive burden on the budget. The goal is to ensure a dignified life for people with disabilities while at the same time preserving the financial stability of the budget and the rights of all budget users. It is important to emphasize once again that, according to domestic and international standards, disability benefits are social benefits that do not arise from work, but from the need to equalize opportunities with healthy people,” said Delić.
In the end, Delić points out that if there is a consensus of organizations that advocate the rights of people with disabilities, that they want to enter into this adventure with the budget and contribute to disrupting the currently stable and regular system of payments and calling into question its long-term sustainability, and if the Parliament as a legislator is ready to support it , the government will implement it, but distance itself from all the consequences it will produce.
“The key question is what is required, whether it is a responsible policy or a risk for all budget users, including people with disabilities,” Delić concluded.
