Since March of this year, the Tuzla and Zenica-Doboj cantons have not had their representatives in the Management Board of the Federal Institute for Pension and Disability Insurance, which has 11 members, and it is known that the cantonal governments propose the members of the management board, and the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina approves.
The federal government rejected the proposed members of the Government of Tuzla and Zenica-Doboj cantons without explanation and on March 15 appointed a temporary Steering Committee which, to the surprise of many, includes employees of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy Kenan Spahić and Jusuf Brkić.
The Board of Directors of the FBiH PIO Institute could legally be temporary for only three months, and it has been temporary for the seventh month already.
The FBiH government did not take steps to correct the omissions
– It is true that Tuzla Canton currently does not have its representative in the Management Board of the Federal PIO Institute. The Government of the Tuzla Canton, at the request of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, promptly proposed Merima Hajdarević as a candidate for a member of the temporary Board of Directors. Although the proposal was submitted in accordance with the procedure, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina did not appoint a representative from our canton, without providing an explanation for such a decision – Mensur Begić from the Office for Joint Affairs of Cantonal Bodies of the Government of Tuzla Canton told Faktor.
He says that they are aware that employees of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy sit on the board.
– The Government of Tuzla Canton is aware of the fact that the officials of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy are among the appointees, although the Law stipulates that the members of the Management Board are appointed by the cantons. We pointed out this problem back in March, immediately after the decision on the appointment was published, because it is an obvious deviation from the previous practice and legal provisions – said Begić.
He adds that already on March 18, 2025, just three days after the appointment, they sent an official letter to the Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, asking for an explanation as to why their candidate was not appointed and on what basis other persons, including officials of the Ministry, were appointed.
– To date, the FBiH Government has not taken steps to correct this omission, although we have clearly pointed out the selective application of regulations and the unequal treatment of cantons. On the other hand, we received a “statement” from the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, which confirms the inconsistency and discriminatory attitude towards the proposed candidate from the Tuzla Canton – stated Begić.
Questions intended for Nikšić redirected to Delić
In the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton, we were told that the appointment of members of the Management Board of the Federal Institute for Pension Disability Insurance from ZDK was not carried out on the proposal of the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton.
– The Government of the Zenica-Doboj Canton is aware of the fact that the temporary Management Board of the Federal Institute for Pension Disability Insurance was appointed at the 50th session held on 03/13/2025. year, without members proposed before the Government of Zenica-Doboj Canton, informed on the basis of official information published on the website of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – they told us.
The candidate of the ZDK Government for a member of the Board of the Institute of PIO FBiH was Sabahudin Ibrahimagić.
Because of everything, we asked Federal Prime Minister Nermin Nikšić how it was possible that the FBiH Government, which he heads, appointed the employees of the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, Kenan Spahić and Jusuf Brkić, to the Steering Committee, and rejected the proposed candidates from the Zenica-Doboj and Tuzla cantons. We asked if this is not a conflict of interest, as well as why the Management Board of the Institute of PIO FBiH is still temporary.
We did not get answers from Prime Minister Nikšić because they redirected our questions to the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Policy, headed by Adnan Delić, writes Factor.
