Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 70th Session

TO PROJECTS ENDORSED FOR BETTER TRAFFIC FLOW IN SARAJEVO 

The Council of Ministers of BIH endorsed separate initiatives and appointed negotiating delegation for conclusion of a loan contract between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) for realisation of two projects of city roads in Sarajevo, namely, Transversals I and IX.

The realisation of the projects will improve traffic flow in the Sarajevo Canton. For construction of a part of Transversal I, section Bare – Kobilja Glava, the EBRD respective loan is EUR 35 million. With the construction of this section traffic flow would be improved at Sarajevo – Vogošća road, where traffic congestions and vehicle columns take place every day.

For the Transversal IX project, the EBRD loan is EUR three million, and funds are intended for the construction of sub-sections III Rondo – Safeta Zajke Street, together with a connection of IX Transversal to LOT 2C of the Sarajevo by-pass.

The Loan terms are 15 years with three year grace period, and the loan beneficiary is the Sarajevo Canton.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will, after negotiations completed, provide the Proposal Contracts to the Council of Ministers of BIH, in accordance with the Law on Borrowing, Debt and Guarantees of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

ACCESS TO INTENATIONAL DATA BASE OF TRAFFIC ACCIDENTS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Memorandum of Understanding on Business Arrangements between the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BIH and Organisation for European Cooperation and Development and International Transport Forum (OECD/ITF) for the purpose of advancing of road safety.

By signing of the Memorandum, the Ministry of Communications and Transport will get a possibility of on-line access and use of data from the international data base on road traffic and car accidents.

This way, Bosnia and Herzegovina will take part in the IRTAD Project (International Traffic Safety Dara Analysis) and will have its own representative in the related work group. It is a unique forum for exchange of international events in road safety policies, including data on accidents and victims.

As at January 2018, IFTAD had 89 members from 40 countries, and full-fledged members are the EU and World Bank.

The Proposal Memorandum will be provided to the BIH Presidency, and Deputy Minister of Communications and Transport was proposed for the BIH signatory.

 

PROGRESS IN FULFILING INTERNATIONAL OBLIGATIONS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Platform for accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to an Inclusive Framework for implementation of measures against erosion of tax base and shifting of profit (BEPS – Base Erosion and Profit Shifting).

By acceding the BEPS, Bosnia and Herzegovina will realise an improvement in fulfilment of international obligations it took, so as to avoid placing at the EU list of non-cooperative jurisdictions for tax purposes.

The BEPS package contains 15 measures directed at the decrease and suppression of aggressive tax planning, tax fraud and evasion, especially in cases involving major multinational companies.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Platform to the BIH Presidency for further procedure.

 

MIGRANT SITUATION: TIGHTENING OF EASTERN BORDER AND COOPERATION WITH IOM AND REGION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of Information on situation in the area of migrations concerning an increased inflow of migrants to BIH, and initiated concluding of an agreement with the International Organisation for Migrations (IOM) for strengthening of cooperation in this area.

The strengthening of the Eastern border remains the priority of the Council of Ministers of BIH, and activities are on-going on an additional engagement of 100 policemen from the Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska to assist the Border Police of BIH. Also, discussions will take place with representatives of other police bodies on assisting in BIH border control.

The Ministry of Security send letter to Embassies of Austria. Czech Republic, Poland and Slovakia with an inquiry about readiness of these states to help BIH by way of engaging their police officers at the BIH border, as well as in terms of technical assistance. Activities are underway for a conclusion of a bilateral agreement with Hungary concerning the engagement of their policemen.

A need for intensification of regional cooperation on the issue of migrations was reiterated.

Information indicates that the Foreigners’ Affairs Service registered 3,323 illegal migrants in time period between January 1 and March 25, 2019.

An intention to apply for asylum in BIH was declared by 2,987 individuals, while 72 of them applied for it. The most of migrants arrive from Pakistan (27.3%), followed by citizens of Iraq (13.1%), Syria (12.6%), Algeria (10.5%) and Morocco (9.2%), while others, totalling 27%  of registered migrants, include citizens of Afghanistan, Iran, Palestine, Bangladesh and, India.

 

POLICE SERVICES FROM BIH IN MONUSCO

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH accepted a Proposal Justifiability Evaluation for participation of BIH police services staff members in the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Ministry of Security will initiate to the BIH Presidency a notion for decision taking on participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina police services staff members in the United Nations Stabilisation Mission in the Democratic Republic of Congo (MONUSCO).

According to the Proposal, police services staff members from Bosnia and Herzegovina should be a part of the stabilisation mission on one-year term, with a possibility of their mandate to be extended.

 

INFORMATION ON PUBLIC DEBT IN 2018 ADOPTED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information in the situation with public debt as at December 31, 2018, which will be passed to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

The public indebtedness at the end of 2018 was KM 11 billion and 118.59 million, of which the foreign debt was KM 8 billion and 205.41 million or 73.8 %, and internal debt was KM 2 billion and 913.18 million or 26.2%. The internal debt was decreased for 241.4 million, and foreign was increased for KM 352.4million in relation to year 2017.

In total debt, the Federation of BIH participates with 52.16 % and Republika Srpska with 46.71 %, BIH Institutions with 0.66% and the Brčko District of BIH with 047%.

A share of public debt of Bosnia and Herzegovina in GDP in 2018 was 32.9 %.

Viewing the foreign debt structure by creditors, the major share is to the World bank – IDA and IBRD - with 33.51%, European Investment Bank with 22.94%, Paris Club of Creditors with 7.78%, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development 6.70%, International Monetary Fund with 5.05%, which all represents 75.98% of total foreign debt.

The foreign debt servicing of BIH last year was KM 976.43, of which KM 839.53 went to the principal and KM 136.9 to interest payment.

 

APPLICATION OF MEASURES FOR PREVENTION OF AFICAN SWINE FLU

 

The Veterinary Office of BIH will continue, cooperating with responsible border services in BIH, activities of monitoring and prevention of entry of African swine flu to Bosnia and Herzegovina, applying intensified measures at border with the countries where this disease was registered.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations will keep the Council of Ministers regularly informed on outbreak and spreading of the disease and on taking further measures.

A Decision on ban of import and transport though Bosnia and Herzegovina of certain packages is still in force for the reason of prevention of the entering of the African swine flu to BIH, and the Decision is being regularly supplemented by instructions for certain countries and regions, depending on epidemiologic situation on the field.

Although the disease has never been registered in BIH, its spreading to Europe and this region in previous years indicated that the disease threatens to Bosnia and Herzegovina and the neighbouring countries.

The disease is spread by wild boars, but also by way of insufficiently processed pork-containing products. It is not transmissible to people, but it causes economic losses, since export restrictions affect international trade.

 

SUCCESSFUL IMPLEMENTATION OF “PERSPECTIVE” PROGRAMME BY MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

 

The Council of Ministers adopted Information on implementation a “Perspective” Transition and Care Taking Programme for released personnel, implementation of mental health protection policy, and psycho-social assistance in the Ministry of Defence of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina n 2018.

Support was given to efforts and activities of the Ministry of Defence of BIH in implementation of the “Perspective Programme” and policy of mental health protection and psycho-social assistance in 2019.

The Ministry of Defence has been successfully implementing its own “Perspective” Transition and Care Taking Programme for military personnel released due to age and seniority, in accordance with the Law on Service on Armed Forces of BIH. In the period between 2014 and 2018, 233 projects were approved, mostly in the area of agriculture (125) and business (97).

Simultaneously, since 2016 the Ministry has been successfully implementing a policy directed to development and capacity-building in mental health protection and psycho—social assistance to members of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BIH. Last year, 96 members passed successfully the psycho-social assistance and relaxation process.

 

PET PASSPORTS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a regulation on Amendments and Supplements to the Regulation on Identification and Record Keeping of Dogs, Cats and Tamed Ferrets in Bosnia and Herzegovina, prepared by the Veterinary Office of BIH.

It regulates in more detail the issues of passport issuing for pets and allocation of single microchip code extent for pets’ identification, and it prescribes the looks of the passport and of application for it.

Also, it sets for the first time obligations of owner in gifting or sales of animals, concerning animal checking out in the identification system.

Funds for passport procurement were secured in the BIH Institutions budget, and the Veterinary Office will issue the passports to veterinary organisations; a passport cost is KM 5.00, similar as in the neighbouring countries.

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