Press Releases
Council of Ministers Holds Its 75th Session
12/11/2013
Vijeće ministara Bosne i Hercegovine
Total realised revenues and IFIs support for the period January – September 2013 were KM 723.074.336, or 76% of the projected volume (KM 950,000,000).
In the same period, total expenditures were KM 639,253,466 or 67% of the amount projected in the adopted 2013 Budget without special purpose funds, i.e. 57% in the Revised Budget including the added special purpose funds.
In accordance with the 2012 Letter of Intent for Implementation of the IMF Stand-By Arrangement, the BIH Institutions continued with making savings on reimbursements and operating expenses in 2013, too. Besides, the Law on Budget of BIH Institutions and International Obligations of BIH for 2013 froze new hiring in the BIH Institutions, whilst in extraordinary cases only new hiring (for newly established institutions) may be allowed by the Council of Ministers of BIH.
As to the foreign debt, due obligations in the period January-September 2013 were regularly serviced, reaching total KM 454.54 million.
The foreign debt level stands at KM 7,086.798,405 as at as at September 30, 2013.
Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Communications and Transport, the Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Decision on adoption of a framework transport policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2013-2020.
The Framework Transport Policy is a planning and operative document which represents the scope of operations for both institutions and individuals directly involved into its implementation.
The BIH Framework Transport Policy for 2013-2020 is one of the three important documents (policy, strategy and action plan), required for defining a direction of the BIH transport sector future development. Also, these documents are an important precondition for future IFIs (WB, EBRD, EIB) funding of transport sector projects. The significance of the document is also relevant from the aspect of the Association Stabilisation and Agreement, including other international treaties and agreements in the sector.
The overarching aim of the Framework Transport Policy is the sustainable development of country’s transport system, based on the anticipated economic and social development of the country, to include the accommodation of needs for improved mobility of goods and people, physical access to markets, jobs, education centres and other social and economic needs.
The Ministry of Communications and Transport is responsible for monitoring of the Framework Transport Policy implementation.
The Proposal Decision will be sent to the Parliamentarian assembly of BIH for adoption.
The Council of Ministers considered and adopted Information on Implementation of the Agreement on Succession Issues of Ex-SFRY Annex C.
The Ambassador of Bosnia and Herzegovina in France is tasked to represent Bosnia and Herzegovina before the Commercial Court in Paris in a claim of the National Bank of Serbia against the Kredit Lione, in the capacity of a stakeholder. Also, the BIH authorised representative in the Joint Committee of Ex-SFRY Successor States for Annex C is tasked to undertake needed actions, in agreement with the Committee, for the protection of interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the liquidation procedure in the agencies of the Begoradska Banka and New York-based Yugobanka.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury and Central Bank of Bosnia and Herzegovina are assigned to undertake all required measures to protect the interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina in settlement of ex-SFRY outstanding debts.
The Council of Ministers considered Information on the sixth plenary meeting within the Structural Dialogue on Judiciary between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union, held in Banja Luka on November 11-12, 2013.
Competent institutions are responsible to act in accordance with the adopted recommendations the European commission made at the VI plenary meeting within the Structural Dialogue on Judiciary.
For the implementation of the European Commission recommendations, the Ministry of Justice is responsible to prepare a draft law on courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina and to provide it to the Council of Ministers.
Also, competent institutions of Republika Srpska are invited to put a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Courts in Republika Srpska back into the legislative procedure, having regard of a full consistency of the Proposal with the Law on High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council, while the Chief Prosecutor of Bosnia and Herzegovina is assigned to conclude a Protocol on Cooperation in prosecution of perpetrators in cases of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide with the Chief Prosecutor Office of Montenegro.
Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, the Council of Ministers of BIH considered and adopted a Revised Action Plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the issue-solving of the Roma population in the areas of employment, housing and health care in 2013-2016.
Taking such approach, BIH continues its activities towards the integration of the Roma population in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on both regional and local levels, with an aim to make all-level authorities, especially local ones, including NGOs and Roma associations, join their efforts to this end.
The Revised Action Plan includes a part pertaining to development of institutional capacities, proposed activities by sectors, and clarifications on the system and challenges in terms of entailed funding, monitoring, evaluation and reporting on the Revised Action Plan implementation. The implementation of the Revised Action Plan in 2013-2016 is estimated to require total KM 50,057,511, of which KM 14,939,682 in 2013, KM 17,297,242 in 2014, and KM 17,820,587 in 2015, which amounts KM 16.7 million annually at average.
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Agreement between the Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Croatia, Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Ministry of Defence of Montenegro and Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Macedonia regarding the air surveillance and communication requirements study for Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Republic of Macedonia in a support to Balkan Regional Approach to Air Defence (BRAAD).
The BRAAD’s aim is to coordinate and facilitate the regional cooperation approach to antiaircraft defence capacities of the Balkan countries, to encourage more interoperability of these states with NATO and enable considerable defence costs reduction in these countries.
The Council of Ministers proposes to the Presidency of BIH to approve temporary application of the Agreement and its Implementation Protocol until both the Agreement and accompanying Implementation Protocol take effect by ratification, subject to local legislation.
The Ministry of Defence will provide the Proposal Agreement to the Presidency of BIH for further procedure.
Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Security, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a temporary Decision on establishment of cooperation and data exchange system between competent BIH law enforcement bodies and EUROPOL.
For the implementation of the Temporary Decision, the Ministry of Security will act as a joint BIH contact point for data exchange and cooperation of EUROPOL and the BIH law enforcement bodies.
This way, cooperation between BIH and the EU member countries will be improved, though activities of EUROPOL, in prevention, detection, suppression and investigation of serious international acts of crime.
The Temporary Decision also enables a launch of negotiations with EUROPOL on individual operative cooperation agreements.
The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Peru on visa lifting for holders of diplomatic, service and special passports.
Under the Proposal Agreement, citizens of the contracting states, holders of diplomatic and service passports from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s side and holders of diplomatic and special passports from Peruvian side, are freed from a requirement to obtain visa for entry and stay in the territory of other contracting state for duration of 90 days at longest within any six months period, including the day of first entry.
Also, the Agreement regulates non visa regime for holders of diplomatic, service or special passports of both Bosnia and Herzegovina and Peru, designated for service with diplomatic missions and consular representation offices or international organisations in one of the states in the course of their official stay.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH will provide the Proposal Agreement to the Presidency of BIH for further procedure.
The Council of Ministers took a resolution allowing the use of name ‘Bosnia and Herzegovina’ in the title of the Union of Paraplegics and Child Paralysis Patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with its seat in Sarajevo, St. 78 Zmaja od Bosne.
In its five-year existence, the Union of Paraplegics and Child Paralysis Patients in Bosnia and Herzegovina, made noticeable results, gathering 2,300 members from throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina, and as such it created policies and strategies to manage activities of a wider interest for paraplegics and child paralysis patients.
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