Press Releases
Council of Ministers Holds Its 80th Session
01/22/2014
Vijeće ministara Bosne i Hercegovine
The European integrations process, covering all European integrations-related activities will be the top priority of the Council of Ministers of BIH in year 2014, with total 65 documents planned for adoption under the scope.
The focus of the Council of Ministers activities will be the continuation of economic reforms and securing of compatibility of domestic economy with the European economic space, continuation of public administration reforms, improvement of security of citizens and property, intensification of regional and international cooperation, and the closure of negotiations on accession of BIH to the World Trade Organisation.
The planned laws include: law on the state property; foreign affairs; customs policy; air navigation; international protection in the area of asylum; VAT; excises; BIH customs policy and others.
Plans embrace also numerous amendments and supplements to the existing laws aiming at their harmonisation with the European standards and internal procedures improvement, including amendments of the Law on Financing of BIH Institutions, which will introduce a financial inspectorate.
For this year, the Council of Ministers plans to adopt several strategies, including as follows: strategy of health care system reform in BIH; development of sports; development of small and medium sized enterprises by year 2020; strategy of wide-range access to BIH; and measurement development strategy.
PROPOSAL LAW ON ELECTRONIC DOCUMENT ADOPTED
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Electronic Document, projected to sped-up procedures and to improve authorities’ efficiency in operations with citizens, which is expected to ultimately further development of the e-government in the BIH Institutions.
The significance of the Law refers primarily to creation of conditions for making an electronic document of equal standing as of a hard copy document in legal transactions between natural and legal persons and authorities. It is intended to enable establishment of electronic legal and business transactions before administrative bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Its adoption opens a new process and complements the IT-related legal framework, and removes uncertainties in the application of the Law on Electronic Signature, Law on Electronic Legal and Business Transactions and accompanying by-laws.
The Ministry of Communications and Transport will provide the Proposal Law to the Parliamentarian Assembly for adoption under regular legislative procedure.
OPINIONS ON DRFT LAWS ON COURTS AND PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE SOUGHT
The Council of Ministers of BIH concluded that the competent institutions and bodies are due to provide within a 15 day deadline their objections, opinions and suggestions on a Draft Law on Courts of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Draft Law on Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Ministry of Justice, so that the Council of Ministers would be able to reflect on the laws in on of next sessions.
COUNCIL OF MINSITERS ON LABOUR-LEGAL STATUS OF BIH CITIZENS OUT OF A JOB IN CROATIA
The Council of Ministers of BIH received Information of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on adoption of a Decision on formation of a BIH delegation for negotiations with representatives of the Republic of Croatia Government for the purpose of solving the issue of labour-legal and social status of BIH citizens once employed in the Republic of Croatia and dismissed from job in time between 1991 and 1995.
The task of the BIH delegation is to reach an agreement with authorised representatives of the Republic of Croatia on a solution to the issue of labour-legal and social status of BIH citizens, dismissed in 1991-1995 time.
The delegation will report to the Council of Ministers upon the completed negotiations.
ECONOMIC-FISCAL PROGRAMME ADOPTED
Upon a proposal of the Directorate for Economic Planning, the Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a 2014 Economic-Fiscal Programme to be provided to the European Commission, after receiving opinions of the Entity Governments and Ministries.
The Programme says that the expected economic growth of euro-zone and relevant partners in neighbourhood should result in real consolidation of economic growth in 2014, which might be 2.3% for Bosnia and Herzegovina in a whole. Such modest growth is to reflect an increase of exports and gradual strengthening of private consumption and investment.
The drafting of the Programme involved experts from the State, Entity and Brčko District Ministries and representatives of the Directorate for Economic Planning and Directorate for European Integrations.
This year’s Economic-Fiscal Programme is the eight programme and fifth to be submitted to the European Commission following the signing of the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement and taking effect of the Interim Agreement.
The Economic-Fiscal Programme is deemed to be a preparation for the Pre-Accession Economic Programme, as a mandatory document for the EU membership candidate countries.
PROPOSAL AGREEMENTS AND BASICS DEFINED
The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Loan Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, and UniCredit Bank Austria AG for financing of a Modernisation of University in East Sarajevo, Phase II, Project, with basics for its conclusion.
The project is designed to improve education infrastructure in East Sarajevo, which would enable better studying conditions for students. It will be financed by EUR 10 million loan, with ten years term and 5.5 year grace period.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Agreement with its basics to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and Minister Nikola Špirić is proposed for the BIH signatory.
The Council of Ministers of BIH defend a Proposal Basics for conclusion of an Amendment of the Agreement on Grant of Swedish Trust Fund for Water Quality Protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Water Supply and Sewage in Mostar Project (TF099534) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, under which the earlier allocated GEF Grant for financing of the Project increases from USD 3.455.747,00 for USD 2.211.400.,00 and would totala USD 5.667.147,00.
Besides Mostar, the Project now covers Živinice, and with the improved quality of water in the River Neretva, the quality of River Bosna water will also be improved by a construction of waste waters purification facilities in these areas.
The Ministry of Finance will provide the Proposal Basics to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and Minister Nikola Špirić is proposed as the BIH signatory.
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined Proposal Basics for Negotiations on a Memorandum of Understanding under Institutional Framework of SEE Initiative for Disaster Prevention and Readiness between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Governments of the Republic of Albania, Republic of Bulgaria, Republic of Croatia, Republic of Macedonia, Republic of Moldavia, Republic of Montenegro, Romania, Republic of Serbia, Republic of Slovenia and Republic of Turkey.
It provides for a legal framework for effective planning and coordination of available resources, in accordance with individual states’ decisions, for removal of consequences of natural and man-made disasters at the partnership level.
The Minister of Security will provide the Proposal Basics to the Presidency of BIH, with a proposal for Minister Fahrudin Radončić as the BIH signatory.
INFORMATION, REGULATIONS
The Council of Ministers of BIH decided to require an opinion on a Proposal Decision on Amendment of the Decision on Visas from the BIH Presidency, responsible for foreign policy, so that the Council of Ministers might duly reflect on the Proposal Decision.
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Defence on a transition of military personnel and implementation of NATO “Prospects” Programme for BIH in January 1-December 31, 2013.
The Council of Ministers supported preparation efforts by the Ministry of Defence in view of the transition process and taking care of military personnel and future implementation of its own “Prospects” Programme.
NATO “Prospects” Programme or BIH was launched on October 1, 2010, and in end 2012 was extended to year 2013.
Thus far, assistance project targeting 2.634 discharged individuals were supported from a special purpose Fund, by way of different projects - among them 1,693 in the area of agriculture, 981 in business, nine in employment and 41 in education area.
An external independent fiscal evaluation from June 2013, found that the NATO- “Prospects” Programme surpasses the initial expectations by its quality and quantity, and provides for a good approach to development of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BIH transition capacities.
Bosnia and Herzegovina fulfils all its commitments from the Post-Visa Liberalisation Monitoring Mechanism, and all BIH institutions and law enforcement agencies act in compliance with the defined commitments, indicates a Report of an Implementation Monitoring Group for the EU Decision on Non-Visa Regime for BIH Citizens, adopted by the BIH Council of Ministers, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Security.
Citizens are being warned that the liberalised visa regime must not be used for unjustified asylum seeking and that they would be quickly turned back to BIH under a Readmission Agreement, as shortened procedures for processing of asylum applications were introduced in many EU countries.
The Council of Ministers adopted Information of the Directorate for European Integrations on implementation of an Action Plan for implementation of a Memorandum on Cooperation between the Directorate for European Integrations, Council of Ministers of BIH and faculties of philosophy/philology in BIH.
Based on the 2012-2015 Memorandum on Cooperation of the Directorate for European Integrations and Faculty of Philosophy in Sarajevo, Faculty of Philology in Banjaluka, Faculty of Philosophy of the University in Mostar and Faculty of Philosophy of the University in East Sarajevo, a chance has been provided to English language students to carry out internship with the Direction.
Based on their score average, a selection of 16 students was made, and the first group of students completed their internship in 2013.
The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Directorate of European Integrations to continue developing and promoting cooperation with faculties of philosophy/philology in BIH, including student internships, based on modalities agreed in the Memorandum.
The Council of Ministers adopted a Regulation on measures for prevention of spreading of highly pathogenic avian influenza to birds kept in aviaries in zoos, institutes and centres, as proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations.
The Regulation prescribes rules to be applied for the prevention of spreading of viruses of highly pathogenic bird influenza from birds living in the wild or in case of disease outbreak among poultry or other birds kept in aviaries to other birds kept in aviaries in zoos and institutes or centres, in addition to rules for proper vaccination of other birds in aviaries in zoos, institutes and centres.
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