THEY PAY FINES FOR TIPS: Crazy law in Republika Srpska, will it applied with us as well?

Law of the hospitality industry in Republika Srpska (RS) often creates problems because it does not recognize tips for the caterers.

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Often they are forced to hide this kind of income to avoid paying huge fines.

Caterer from Gradiska who wished to remain anonymous told the Independent newspaper how he faced this kind of problems when inspections found 20 KM (10 euro) tip in the register.

- I issue all fiscal bill and i never had any irregularities, but when they found 20 KM more in the register, i could't tell them that it is actually a tip, and i considered getting it totally normal - said this caterer and he points out that he almost faced punishment of closing the restaurant for one month.

Foto: Profimedia/Caia Image

- It is enough to destroy your job, and we all know that guests leave the tips every day. I really did not know about that kind of slip in the law and i would like the competent authorities to solve the problems - said this caterer and pointed that it is impossible to entirely respect the law if this problem isn't solved.

- I really want to work by the book, but when this problem is at question, it is simply impossible. Even inspectors advised me to hide that money next time, to put it aside - said this man, adding that it is absurd to close the object for this small amount of money and to pay big fines.

- The greatest problem is that the people making the law do not consult the people from the profession and these omissions are often and its hard to find the solution to them - said Zeljko Tadic, President of the RS Association of Caterers.

He adds that  there are many problems in the hospitality industry, but the biggest problem in the hospitality industry is that the law stipulates that the cashier should hold as much money as the issued fiscal receipts.

Foto: Telegraf, Marko Todorović

- In most countries in Europe and worldwide waiters actually work for tips, their salaries are minimal, but they are prescribed and mandatory gratuities. Here waiter is working for 400 KM (200 euros), but somebody explain how he can make a living from this plate - says Tatic, who points out that the Association of Caterers RS has good cooperation with the competent authorities and their view is that the law still has to respected.

"The law is what it is, it's really hard to find a solution to this problem. All authorities should be included, primarily the Tax Administration and the Ministry of Trade and Tourism, through which certain amendments to the existing law could come into National Assembly of RS ", said Tatic.

Tedo Cvisic, Assistant Director of the Tax Administration Banja Luka confirmed that if the situation in the register does not match with the present situation, caterers are charged with a penalty.

"The law is such that you can not prove whether it comes from tipping or have you have failed to issue a fiscal receipt, so the inspection is forced to treat that as an offense", said Cvisic.

The same problem had the hairdresser from Banjaluka who had 3 KM more in the register.

"Registers are now abolished in hairdressing saloons, but while we had to issue fiscal bills i hat to pay 500 KM fine because i had 3 KM more when the inspection arrived, which was left as a tip", said she.

(Telegraf.co.uk / B92)