Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 48th Session

COUNCIL OF MINISTERS’ LAST YEAR’S EFFORTS YIELDED RESULTS 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a 2015 Activity Report of the Council of Ministers of BIH, which stated that in last year total 57 session were held, 1,152 agenda items considered, 1,175 conclusions adopted, and the European integrations process intensified.

At 49 regular and 8 extraordinary sessions, 30 proposal laws, protocols and memorandums, in addition to 36 proposal basics for conclusion of contracts, and 43 proposal decisions on ratification of international treaties were defined. During the same period of time, the Council of Ministers took 190 decisions, adopted 241 pieces of information from various areas of operation, 126 reports, 49 regulations, and defined 331 answer to deputies and delegates’ questions and initiatives.

In June 2015, the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement took force, thereby establishing a close EU-BIH partnership, i.e. Bosnia and Herzegovina was confirmed its status of a potential candidate country. A Framework Agreement for IPA II took force in august 2015,thus creating conditions for the allocation fo the European Union assistance funds. Under IP II, state packages 2014 and 2015 were prepared, along with sector plan documents; Public Administration, Justice and Basic Rights and Internal Affairs.

The economic Reform Agenda was adopted last year for 2015-2018, which defined numerous reform measures in public finances, business climate, labour market, social welfare, rule of law and public administration, including a series of strategies, among which it was the 2015-2019 Anti-Corruption Strategy, Anti-Terrorist and Anti-Organised Crime Strategy, BIH Justice Sector Reform Strategy, and 2015-2018 Integrated Border Management strategy.

Continuous efforts on improvement of human rights resulted in the ratified  Convention on Prevention and Fight against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, as well as in adopted 2014-1018 Framework Strategy for Implementations of the Council of Europe Convention on Prevention and Fight against Violence against Women and Domestic Violence, and adopted 2015-2018 Child Action Plan in BIH , including formation of the Council for Children.

The implementation of the adopted documents and measures has already begun to bring results. So, the labour market continued to increase number of employed persons, a physical volume of industrial output was increase, with increased gross revenue from indirect taxation collection,  and increased was export , as well as coverage of import by export, while the trade deficit was reduced.

The Secretariat-General will provide the 2015 Activity Report of the Council of Ministers  of BIH to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly.

 

FACILITATED IMPLEMENTATION OF AGREEMENT ON READMISSION OF PERSONS STAYING WITHOUT PERMIT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Protocol between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Slovenia on implementation of an European Union-Bosnia and Herzegovina Agreement on Readmission of Persons Staying without Permit.

The conclusion of the Protocol would facilitate the implementation of the Readmission Agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning persons staying without permit.

Under the Protocol, the readmission and admission in transit will take placed at the International Airport Sarajevo, border crossings Gradiška and Brod, and in Slovenia it will take place at the border crossing for international air transport Brnik and JožePločnik Airport in Ljubljana, as well as at the international border crossings Metlika, Oberžje, Gruškovje and Dobova.

The Proposal Protocol will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minster of Security was proposed for the BIH signatory.

 

BIH AND TURKISH MARKET LIBERALISATIOB FOR NEW INVESTMENTS AND ECONOMCI DEVELOPMENT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined Proposal Basics for negotiations on a Contract on Amendments and Supplements to the Free Trade Contract between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Turkey, with a view at increasing a gradual liberalisation and mutual opening of markets of the two states for investments and service trade, in accordance with a General Trade and Service Agreement (GATS).

Further market opening should enable FDI inflow and thereby contribute to economic development of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Simultaneously, the liberalisation of service trade will enable to BIH businesses to enjoy a free access to Turkish market, which would result in increased exports and competitiveness.

The Service trade liberalisation will bring about lower prices and improved quality and expanded choice for consumers, which would affect their savings options.

The proposal basics will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, while the Minister of Foreign Trade an Economic Relations was proposed for the BIH signatory.

 

BUSINESS FORUM ORGANISATION COMMITTEE APPOINTED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIHappointed members of the Organisation Committee of the Business Forum 16 + 1 (China and Central and South European Countries), to be chaired overby Ministerof Foreign Trade andEconomic Relations MirkoŠarović.

The Business Forum should take place in early May in Bosnia andHerzegovina and its purpose is a better connectedness of BIH with countries of the regionandthe People’s Republic of China.

The Forum represent a realisation of an agreement between Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Denis Zvizdić and Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of China Li Kequang from the IV Prime Ministers’ Summit of  16+1 Initiative.

The Organisation Committee will include State-level Ministers of Finance and Treasury VjekoslavBevnada,  Foreign Affairs Igor Crnadak, Communications and Transport Saša Dalipagić, Head fo Office of Chairman of the CouncilofMinisters Asja Nikšić and President of the Foreign Trade Chamber of BIH Bruno Bojić, a representative of Sector Committee of the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH, representatives of Entity Chambers of Commerce and competent BIH agencies and bodies of the Council of Ministers of BIH.

 

MORE THAN 80 ANTI-ORGANSIED CRIME ACTIVITIES IN HALF-YEAR

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Report of the Ministry of Security on implementation of 2014-2016 Anti-Organised Crime Strategy for the time period from July 1-decembr 31, 2015, which suggests that the competent institutions in BIH have implemented more than 80 anti-organised crime activities for the second half of 2015.

Competent police bodies and prosecutor offices in BIH made in the second half of the last year notable results in organised crime investigations and in regulations harmonisation in BIH. In 13 major operative actions carried out by the State Agency of Investigations and Protection (SIPA), Entity and Cantonal Ministries of Interior, in cooperation with competent prosecutor offices in BIH, arrested several dozen persons. A number of actions were coordinated with competent police bodies and prosecutor offices of the neighbouring countries and those of the EU countries.

 

BIH PATICIPATED IN SIX TERRITORIAL COOEPRAITON PROGRAMMES       

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Direction for European Integrations on territorial cooperation programmes under IAP II 2014-2020 and related implementation progress in 2015.

Within IAP II 2014-2020, Bosnia and Herzegovina participated in total six territorial cooperation programmes.

These include two bilateral programmes (BIH-Montenegro and BIH-Serbia), one trilateral cross-border cooperation with the neighbouring countries (Croatia-BIH-Montenegro) and  three transnational programmes (Danube, Adriatic-Ionian and Mediterranean.

 

USE OF EUROPEAN EMERGENCY TRAVEL LIST FOR RETURN EXTENDED FOR 60 DAYS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Security on activities of BIH in admission of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina returning from the Federal Republic of Germany to Bosnia and Herzegovina, based on the European Emergency Travel List for Return (Laissez Passer).

For the purpose of an effective realisation of the return process, BIH citizens were prolonged  the use of the European emergency travel list, issued by competent bodies of the FR Germany,  which will be valid for BIIH citizens on their return, deportation or expulsion to Bosnia and Herzegovina in an additional period of time, starting at March 3, 02016.

In time between December 19, 2015 and February 8, 2016, the competent bodies of the FR Germany announced arrival of 389 persons, of which 133 BIH citizens will be return to BIH, among them 21 persons to be accepted with the Laissez Passer document.

 

BIH FOR CONTINUATION OF ReSPA OPERATION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH authorised BIH Minister of Justice Josip Grubeša, as a member of the ReSPA Steering Board at Ministerial level, to give a positive opinion of Bosnia and Herzegovina in view of the extension of an Agreement Establishing the Regional School for Public Administration (ReSPA).

According to information available to the Ministry of Justice, the extension would mean that the ReSPA might continue its operation under the same conditions as defined in the Agreement Establishing the Regional School for Public Administration, on November 21, 2008.

The Ministry of Justice will prepare a report on the ReSPA activities to date.

The Agreement Establishing the Regional School for Public Administration enables BIH to take part in the processes of cooperation promotion with similar institutions in the European Union, to incite cooperation between public administration institutions of the state and participate in the knowledge improvement system for civil servants by way of trainings and lectures.

 

 

ROUTE FEE REVENUES DISTRIBUTED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, proposed by the Ministry of Communications and Transport, on distribution of BIH air navigation service revenues (route fees) for year 2016.

According to the decision, a final BIH en-route expanses base for year 2016 was adopted in total amount of KM 74,992,311.00, including EUROCONTROL costs.

Based on route fee to the Agency for Air Navigation of BIH (BHANSA), KM 40,814,816.00 was distributed in a way that the Direction for Civil Aviation (BHDCA) got KM 5,764,574.00 including EUROCONTROL costs. At the same time and on the same grounds, KM 13,152,351.00 went to the Air Traffic Control Agency of Serbia and Montenegro, while KM 15,250,570.00 went to the Croatian Air Navigation Control.

 

APPOINTED MEMBERS OF BOARD OF AGENCY FOR PRESCHOOL, PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH appointed six Board members of the Agency for Preschool, Primary and Secondary Education Agency.

For a three-year mandate appointed were Alisa Ibraković, Semir Halilović, Franjo Ljubas, Zdenka Leženić, Boja Golić and Uma Isić, as the most successful candidates at the public vacancy ad.

The Agency Board has seven members, two form each constitutive people and one from other peoples, but the mandate expired to six Board members for which reason the job vacancy ad was published.

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