An increasing number of B&H citizens seek the opportunity to work outside of their home country. Often they are deceived; they don’t receive their earned salaries and are forced to work in poor conditions. Recently the Ministry of Foreign Affairs B&H signed an agreement with Qatar on the employment of B&H citizens during the controversial preparation for the World Cup 2022, report local media.
According to reports in the next two years around 500,000 people should be employed in Qatar in various projects. The signed agreement precisely defines work conditions for B&H citizens and guarantees their safety, read a press release issued by the Ministry.
This means that every contract between B&H’s citizens and their employees will be validated by the Embassy of Qatar, the Embassy of B&H or the Agency for Employment B&H.
However international media has recently reported of the ill treatment of workers in Qatar, namely the International Trade Union Confederation claims that 1200 migrant workers have died since 2010 when Qatar won the right to host the 2022 event.
An investigation conducted by The Guardian last year revealed that sleeping areas are overcrowded, hostels are unsanitary and migrants are left penniless after their employees deny them their earned salaries.
Amnesty International has supported claims made by the Union and said that “Qatar’s construction sector is rife with abuse”, adding that migrant workers are often subjected to non-payment of wages, dangerous working conditions and squalid accommodation.
This week FIFA was once again urged to take action over “sub-human” treatment of migrant workers. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said he would make another visit to Qatar before the June kickoff in Brazil to press for progress in the treatment of migrant labourers.
On the other hand the Qatari government claims that the country’s workforce is being treated well and that there has been great improvement in the conditions of workers.
Recently new information has also sprung in the allegations linking Qatar’s winning World Cup bid to payments received by voters. Namely, the Daily Telegraph claimed that it had evidence that a Qatari company controlled by former FIFA board member paid almost $2 million to to former FIFA vice-president Jack Warner’s family after the December 2010 vote. The 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids are currently under investigation.
