The 23rd regular Assembly of the Association of Employers in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina was held in Sarajevo, in the presence of a large number of representatives of the authorities, trade unions, domestic and foreign governmental and non-governmental institutions and organizations, the academic community, employers and the media, where the key documents and priorities of the Association’s work were discussed, as well as the most important issues for improving the business environment in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Assembly delegates adopted the reports on the work and operations of the UPFBiH for 2025, along with the presentation of realized and ongoing projects, as well as the Work and Operations Plan for 2026, which confirmed the continuity of the stable and transparent functioning of the Association.
They employ 45 percent of workers
“The association grows and develops year by year, and through our membership we cover the entire Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Over the past year alone, more than a hundred companies, businesses and trades from the financial sector joined the Association, as well as from management, electricity production, construction, education, hotel industry, trade, processing industry, service activities, real estate, games of chance, employment mediation, healthcare, finance and administrative activities. Our members employ about 45 percent of the total number of employees in real sector, which clearly speaks of our role and responsibility in the economic system”, said the president of the UPFBiH Assembly, Amel Kovačević.
Speaking about the challenges facing the economy, Kovačević pointed out that Bosnia and Herzegovina continues to miss significant development opportunities and that as a country we have not yet created the conditions for the withdrawal of European Union funds, thus hundreds of millions of euros remain unavailable to our economy and directly affect its competitiveness.
President of the Management Board of UPFBiH Nihad Imširović stressed the importance of preserving the independence and continuity of the Association’s activities.
Relief of the economy
“During more than two decades of work, we have preserved professional integrity and clearly distanced ourselves from political influences, which enables us to act as a responsible and reliable social partner. Our priorities will be aimed at relieving the economy, fairer distribution of business burdens, strengthening social dialogue and improving the business environment, changing regulations and adjustments in accordance with the interests of business in BiH, but also abroad,” said Imširović.
The focus of future activities will also be the improvement of the legal framework and the resolution of specific obstacles faced by the economy. The representatives of the union emphasized the importance of improving the business environment and improving consultations and harmonizing branch collective agreements and thanked the Association for good economic and social dialogue, directly or within the FBiH ESV. In the coming period, the Association of Employers in the FBiH will continue to insist on concrete solutions that will improve the business environment and the competitiveness of the domestic economy, with stronger pressure towards all levels of government so that key reforms in the field of fiscal policy, labor law legislation, industry, trade, digitalization and modernization of business are not postponed, writes Radio Sarajevo.
