MILJUS: BLACK MARKET ACCOUNTS FOR 70 PER CENT OF COFEE SOLD IN BOSNIA

SARAJEVO, Bosnia (January 13,2008) - The meeting of the Board of the Bosnian coffee importers, producers and distributors group with the Bosnian Foreign Trade Chamber was held in the Bosnian capital Sarajevo this week.

The industry’s current problems in Bosnia were discussed. Excises remain in their focus, after they have been insisting on amendments to the Excise Act for the past three years. However, there have been no developments in the area.

The Bosnian coffee industry finds that time is right for changes, given the economic circumstances lately, and they are expecting a reaction from the Bosnian government soon.

The amendments had been partly approved by the Bosnian Parliament, but the support was denied from the Bosnian State Taxation Authority. President of the Board, Zoran Miljus, claims that the black market accounts for 70 per cent of coffee on the Bosnian market, which is costing the country 40 million Bosnian Marks per year, on average.