VEČERNJI LIST: INTRODUCTION OF DISCRIMINATION AGAINST NON-MUSLIMS

SARAJEVO, NOVEMBER 24 /SRNA/ – The new draft Labor Law in the Federation of BiH /FBiH/ introduces a weekly one-hour break for the exercise of religious practices as a right for all workers; however, in practice it only benefits Muslims, since other religious communities carry out such practices outside working hours, writes Večernji List, BiH edition.

The daily notes that "the only religious ritual regularly conducted in the middle of the working day is the Friday Jumu'ah prayer, held around noon, at a time that directly overlaps with the working hours of most employees". "From this, one easily arrives at the conclusion that, of all workers in FBiH, only those whose religious rites take place during working hours will actually be able to use this provision," Večernji List writes, pointing out that for all other workers the right remains only on paper. The article adds that when the one hour per week is calculated—excluding the average four weeks of annual leave—this amounts to 48 working hours a year, or a full six days. When the four annual days off for religious holidays—also provided for all workers under the draft law—are added, this means that Muslim workers will effectively have ten days annually, while all others will have four days for holidays and religious observances. "The draft is presented as universal, although its practical application covers only one single religious practice. This looks more like a legal maneuver than a sincere attempt to regulate labor relations," Večernji List notes.