Last week the Republic of Srpska Inspectorate increased the level of inspections of various areas and industries. The focus was on inspections of sales facilities in terms of price formations for products with limited profit margin, but also adherence to other regulations in sales.

There were also inspections of catering facilities and bakeries in terms of price formation and adherence, issuing receipts, business records, and regulations dealing with food safety.

Special attention was also given to fighting grey economy, illegal employment, unregistered operations in terms of providing services illegally, but also conditions in which registered businesses provide different services.

As part of last week’s activities there were 280 inspections, where 120 administrative measures and 160 minor offence orders were issued in the total value of BAM 250,000. The irregularities that were found related to different types of omissions, business records, issuing of receipts, illegal employment, sanitary and hygienic conditions, sanitary examinations of employees, and other.

In terms of inspections of prices for basic foodstuffs that have a limited profit margin in accordance with the Regulation on limiting profit margins in trade of goods that can be calculated on the procurement price, the Republic Market Inspection Service conducts such inspections every day. In order to give more specific information on the results of these inspections to the public, we can say that since the beginning of this year in trading facilities there have been 100 inspections of the profit margin regulation, and in five cases inspectors found that the profit margin defined by the Regulation has been exceeded and the traders were issued penalties in the total amount of BAM 75,000.

Also, as a part of last week’s activities, inspectors found 20 workers that did not have employment contracts, and for that issued fines to employers in the amount of BAM 42.100. There were also seven bans and BAM 7,500 of penalties for persons performing different unregistered services and sales, while in this year there had been 25 of such bans and BAM 30,000 of such penalties.

The Republic of Srpska Inspectorate is going to continue to monitor the situation in the field in the coming time period and adjust its work as the situation requires. We will support all steps that the lawmakers take in order to protect living standards of citizens and as a control authority we are ready to take all measures in the field that line ministries take in order to control the prices.