Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 61st Session

Establishment of Regional Youth Cooperation Office 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Agreement of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office of Western Balkans countries (RYCO), which will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, with a proposal to authorise Chairman of the Council of Ministers Dr Denis Zvizdić as the signatory.

The Agreement follows the objectives listed in the Berlin Process and is based at a Joint Declaration on Establishment of the regional Youth Office on the Western Balkans, signed by Western Balkans Prime ministers in Vienna, on August 27, 2015.

The signing of the Agreement on establishment of the Regional Youth Cooperation Office of the Wester Balkans countries is scheduled for July 4, 2016 in Paris, during the Prime Ministers’ convention.

 

The text Agreement was defined by an international work group, in which representatives of all Western Balkans countries took part. Bosnia and Herzegovina is to budget EUR 154,000.00 for the Agreement implementation.

The Agreement planned the RYCO seat to be in Tirana, Albania.

 

The RYCO mission is to support regional exchange of youth and their ideas, underlying future cooperation based on the values of co-existence, tolerance and respect for human rights and differences, intensification of regional cooperation of both youth and institutions dealing with youth, as well as securing the implementation of joint youth programmes   on the principles of of democratic governance, sustainable economic development, education and innovations, and youth cooperation coordination on the Western Balkans.

 

Rulebook on Categorisation of Athletes on BIH Level

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Rulebook on Categorisation of Athletes at BIH Level, proposed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

The Rulebook defines athletes’ categories, procedure of sportspersons classifying into categories, forms and ways of exercising rights, based on their categorisation at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The basis for the categorisation will be the achieved significant results at official international competitions in sports disciples included into official programme of the Olympic games by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paraolympic games, organised by the International Special Olympic Games, i.e. ranking for competitions in a way and under conditions prescribed by the Rulebook. The categories will be defined by the Ministry of Civil Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina, subject to funds secured in the BIH Budget under item “Grants for cash awards to serving athletes and top athletes of international class.

 

Mutual Recognition of Car Drivers+ Licences between BIH and Turkey

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Agreement referring to mutual recognition and replacement of drivers’ licences between The Council of Ministers of BIH and Republic of Turkey.

 

Under the Agreement BIH and Turkey should mutually recognise valid car drivers’ licences issued by competent bodies of one contracting party to persons staying as tourists at the territory of the other contracting party or to commercial drivers in transit.

 

The replacement of car drivers’ licenced issued by competent bodies of one contracting party for a person legally staying in the territory of other contracting party will be made without aa need to take theoretic or practical examination for conducting the category or sub-category of motor vehicles for which the original drivers’ licence has been issued.

 

The Agreement stipulation will not apply to drivers’ licences issued in one of contracting parties based upon replacement of drivers’ licence originally issued in third countries.

 

The Proposal Agreement will be forwarded to the BIH Presidency for further legal procedure, and the Minister of Communications and Transport was proposed for the BH signatory.

 

Grant Agreement with CEB

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a proposal Decision on ratification of a Grant Agreement between the Council of Europe Development Bank and Bosnia and Herzegovina in connection with the Regional Housing Programme – BIH4 (2015), worth EUR 8,569,651.00.

 

About 480 households with approximately 1,800 beneficiaries will be accommodated, precisely 435 family houses will be reconstructed for returning refugees and internally displaced persons, while 45 houses will be constructed for internally displaced persons. Domestic contribution will be EUR 1,050,720.00.

 

Tis fourth project is being implemented as a part of a wider regional programme of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Croatia, Montenegro and Republic of Serbia for a permanent housing of about 27,000 households of refugees and displaced persons, of which 5,400 households in BIH.

 

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide the Proposal Decision to the BIH Presidency for adoption.

 

Establishment of Control System for Territorial Cooperation

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, proposed by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, on establishment of a control system for territorial cooperation programmes.

In line with the Decision of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, Department for EU Programmes and Projects Funding will have a function of control body in IPA cross-border and EU trans-national cooperation programmes, where Bosnia and Herzegovina takes part, and are being implemented in either shared or indirect management system, For IPA II period, 2014-2020, Bosnia and Herzegovina will participate in five territorial cooperation programmes.

 

The authorised service for control and certification of costs made by domestic beneficiaries is a condition for BIH participation in previous, as well as in new territorial cooperation programmes – Mediterranean, Adrion, Danube Programme, CBC Programme Croatia – BIH – Montenegro and CBC Programme Serbia – BIH.

 

 

Proposal for Increase of BIH Quota with IMF

 

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, the Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Decision on accepting of increased quota of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the International Monetary Fund.

 

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is responsible to provide the Proposal Decision to the BIH Presidency urgently for adoption, and hte terminal deadline for the acceptance of BIH quota within the fourteen quota revision of IMF is June 30, 2016.

 

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s quota with the International Monetary Fund would be increased for SDR 96,100,000, and its subscription and payment will be made in compliance with procedures of acceptance and payment of quota increase within the fourteenth general quota revision and IMF Executive Board reforms. The total amount of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s quota after the increase will be SDR 265,200,000.

 

BIH Participation within DPPI SEE

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted information of the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina on formation, equipping and training project of the Joint Regional Disaster Response Unit for cases of floods though an initiative for disaster prevention and preparedness in South East Europe.

 

Within the Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Initiative in South East Europe (DPPI SEE), the process of equipment procurement is currently in its final stage for the joint unit for rescue on water (JERU Project), while, according to the information, Bosnia and Herzegovina will get equipment for two teams, one for the federation of BIH and the other for Republika Srpska. While other member states will get equipment for one team. The grant for two teams is worth KM 74,712.70 (EUR 38,200.00).

 

In cooperation with the DPPI SEE, the Ministry of Security will secure timely information to competent civil protection bodies of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and  Republika Srpska in the further equipment procurement process and in cooperation with the Entity civil protection authorities, as end users. It will insure adequate preparedness and balanced representation of Entity civil protection authorities in international interventions of aiding during disasters, pursuant to relevant regulations in Bosnia and Herzegovina and aiding mechanism.

 

Assistance of BIH Armed Forces to Civil Authorities

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted information of the Ministry of Defence on realisation of assistance of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina t civil authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2015.

 

In 2015, total 516 requests for military assistance received from different users were fulfilled, the realisation of which required engagement of different and considerable Armed Forces resources and different forms and kinds of military assistance.

 

Considerable activities of military assistance to civil authorities in BIH were realised by way of assistance to civil authorities in rescuing people and material goods in case of natural and other catastrophes, medical evacuation and other forms of rescue and assistance by Air Force of BIH, support to ceremonial and solemn activities of civil institutions, coordination of civil-military cooperation in aviation with civil structures in BIH, EUROCONTROL and NATO, cooperation with international representatives in BIH and representatives of other states in terms of support to their activities, cooperation with representatives of NATO , international community and NATO-member countries with a view at capacity building in the area of military assistance to civil authorities, and government and non-government organisations.

 

The results achieved in this area are the product of dedication and continued engagement, commitment and training of members of the Armed Forces of BIH and decisiveness to fulfil their legal obligations notwithstanding material constraints and aggravated circumstances caused by financial limitations.

 

BIH Foreign Exchange Analysis

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Analysis of Foreign Trade Exchange of BIH for January-March 2016, which indicates that in comparison to the last year, the export dropped by 0.21 %, and import dropped by 1.62%, with a fall of trade deficit of 3.68%.

 

The total volume of foreign trade exchange for January-March 2016 was KM 5.63 billion, which is 62.48 KM million or 1.10% less of compared to the same period last year. The coverage of import by export was 60.22 per cent or 0.85 % higher than the year before.

 

Views by geographic structure, the European Union is still our major foreign trade partner, participating with 66.99 % share of total goods exchange, followed by CEFTA countries with 12.5%.

 

Among main trade partners, the major coverage of import by export is with Austria (139.82 %), Slovenia (102.5%), Germany (81.64%), Italy (68.67%), Croatia (64.10%), Turkey (45.15%), and Serbia (36.22%).

 

In the first quarter of this year, BIH exported mainly to Germany, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Austria, Serbia, Turkey, Hungary, Netherlands and Montenegro, and the export to these countries was 74.62 per cent of total BIH export.

 

Viewed by countries of origin of imported goods, the most import was from Germany, Italy, Serbia, Croatia, China, Slovenia, Turkey, Austria, Russia and Poland, and the import from these countries accounts for 71.54% of total import to BIH.

 

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, a Regulation on Amendment of Regulation n Price of Personal Identity Cards. Under the amendments, the current cost of personal ID documents will be valid until September 30, 2016.

 

Upon a proposal f the Ministry of Security, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on approving entry and stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina under special conditions.

 

Under the decision, and upon a request by the Government of Serbia, an organised entry and stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina is allowed under special conditions to pupils of elementary schools from the area of Kosovo, without travel documents in time between August 20 and August 27, 2016. This decision will make possible the realisation of a project of visit by 510 pupils from Kosovo and their stay in Republika Srpska.

 

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent for citizens of Japan staying in Bosnia and Herzegovina to vote in the Embassy of Japan in Sarajevo at the up-coming elections for Advisory Chamber in Japan, to take place on June 23- July 2, 2016 in time between 9.30 and 17.00 hrs.

 

Upon a proposal of the ministry of foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent to appointment of Andreas Weckerle for a Police Attaché of the Swiss Confederation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with his seat in Belgrade.

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of a Western Balkans Action Plan for Trade and Transport Facilitation, prepared by the World Bank.

Ministries are required to provide to the Council of Ministers proposal their respective activities within the Reform Agenda implementation in connection with the Western Balkans Action Plan.

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