Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 89th Session

EXPORT INCERASED BY KM 521.94 MILLION LAST YEAR 

Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Analysis of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations on Foreign Exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013, indicating that the trade deficit was KM 6.78 billion, as decreased for 8.18 per cent relative to year 2012.

Positive BIH foreign exchange trends of the first half of 2013 practically continued and the last year’s volume of foreign exchange was KM 23.5 billion, i.e. KM 438.69 million or 1.90 per cent more compared with figures of a year ago. The import is decreased for KM 83.5 million, and was KM 16.17 billion in 2013, while the export increased by 6.64 per cent or KM 521.94 million, and totalled KM 8.38 billion.

The European Union is still our major foreign trade partner, and total exchanged goods, with its share in BIH total foreign exchange of 64 per cent, followed by the “CEFTA 2006” countries’ with a 12.80 per cent share, while 23.31 per cent refers to other countries in total BIH foreign exchange volume.

Among major trade partners individually, the largest coverage of imports by exports is realised with Austria at the rate of 130.40 per cent, followed by Slovenia of 91.01 per cent, Germany of 75.56 per cent, Italy of 67.69 per cent, Croatia of 61.06 per cent, Serbia of 51.61 per cent, and Turkey of 35.41 per cent.

Major exports were made to Germany, Croatia, Italy, Serbia, Austria, Slovenia, Montenegro, Turkey, Czech Republic and Kosovo.

Electric power, aluminium and parts for motor vehicles were among products that accounted for most exports in 2013. 

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is to provide a foreign exchange analysis for the Q1 2014, by the end of April, so that the Council of Ministers of BIH might react timely and take appropriate measures to maintain the positive foreign exchange trend.

 

SUPPLEMENTS TO LAW ON BIH OMBUDSMAN FOR HUMAN RIGHTS

Council of Ministers of BIH defined a proposal Law on Supplements to the Law on Ombudsman for Human Rights in BIH, thus complying with its international commitment stemming from the ratification of the Option Protocol to the UN Convention against Torture and Other Severe Inhumane or Humiliating Sanctions and Acts.

The national preventive mechanism will be operated by a special division for prevention and protection from torture and other severe and inhumane or humiliating sanctions and acts in BIH (NPM Division) under the Institution of Ombudsman of BIH, to be managed by Assistant Ombudsman; the Division will be set-up within 60 day deadline after the adoption of the Law.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees will provide the Proposal Law to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH for further procedure.

 

AMENDMETNS LAW FOR MORE EFFECTIVE EXECUTION OF POLICE COMPETENCES

Council of Ministers of BIH defined a proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Police Officers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was aligned with relevant European legislative principles and standards, especially those pertaining to professionalism, specialisation and depoliticisation of police structures, and protection of basic human rights. 

The Amendments and Supplements to the law should secure necessary preconditions for more effective and efficient execution of competences of police bodies and application of police authorisations, creative betterment of their labour status, with a simultaneous securing of necessary protection of police offices rights.

The work group which drafted the piece of legislation was comprised of representatives of the Ministry of Security of BIH, all BIH police agencies, international community, and for the first time, it involved representatives Trade Union of Police Officers in the BIH Institutions.

The Ministry of Security will provide the Draft Law on Amendments and Supplements to the law on Police Officers in Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH.

 

 

TO ADOPT LAW ON PREVNETION OF MONEY LAUNDERING AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

Council of Ministers of BIH considered the current situation raised after a failure to adopt a Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, in the light of prospective issuing of public announcement on relevant inconsistency in BIH and negative consequences of that to both citizens and institutions, The Council of Ministers of BIH defined unanimously the piece of legislation at its 66^th session of October 23, 2013.

The Council of Ministers of BIH is concerned about sending the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism to the parliamentarian procedure again, as soon as possible.

Draft amendments of the Criminal Code is already prepared and it will be considered at the first next session of Council of Ministers of BIH.

The Ministry of Security is responsible to prepare and provide to the Council of Ministers of BIH a new text Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism, in order to send it to the parliamentarian procedure as early as possible.

This conclusion will be provided to the MPNEYVAL Secretariat by the Ministry of Security and Council of Ministers of BIH Secretariat-General.

 

ACTION PLAN ADOPTED FOR CHILD PIROTECTION FROM PAEDOPHILIA AND CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Action Plan for Child Protection and Prevention of ICT- Related Violence against Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina by Year 2015, drafted by the Ministry of Security in cooperation with all relevant institutions in BH.

The Action Plan is focused at improvement of child pornography and paedophilia protection system and t covers over 40 activities to be implemented by competent BIH bodies by 2015 for the purpose of securing an effective protection mechanism from child pornography and other forms of sexual exploitation and child abuse though ICT.

The Plan assumes amendments and supplements to the existing laws and harmonisation of related by-laws, in addition to improvements of institutional capacities and cooperation with international bodies.

The Action Plan for Action Plan for Child Protection and Prevention of ICT- Related Violence against Children in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2014-2015 was drafted under the Strategy for Combating Human Trafficking in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2013-2015), adopted by the Council of Ministers of BIH last March.

 

EUR 30 MILLION FOR JANJIĆI HYDRO-POWER PLANT

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Loan and Project Agreement between the KfW, Frankfurt am Main, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (Borrower), and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Federal Ministry of Finance, and Power Utility of Bosnia and Herzegovina, d.d. Sarajevo (EPBiH) (Project Execution Agency) for amount of EUR 30.000.000.00 for Janjići Hydro-Power Plant.

The Hydropower Plant Janjići, located in the area of Zenica, will produce a “clean” energy,  using renewable hydro-potentials of the River Bosna, which will help contain pollution, contributing to environmental protection. The Hydro-Power Plant capacity will be 13.2 MW, which means additional 68 GWh of power generation a year.

The construction of the plant represents a fulfilment of a requirement under the SEE Energy Community Contract. Several hundred workers will be hired for the construction purposes directly, and even more indirectly, which will have a positive impact to the employment and ultimately to economic growth in BIH.

The Project will be financed through a loan of EUR 30 million, allocated to the Federation of BIH, with 15 year term and 4 year grace period.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Agreement with basics for its conclusion to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and Minister dr. Nikola Špirić is proposed as the BIH signatory.

 

MOSTAR LANDFILL TO RECEIVE USD 2.44 MILLION GRANT

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Global Environment Facility (GEF) Grant Agreement for the Decrease of Pollution at the Adriatic Sea Project between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Construction and Development, as GEF implementation agency.

The USD 2.44 million worth grant is allocated to the Federation of BIH, i.e. Mostar (Mostar Public Utility Landfill). The aim of the project is to decrease pollutants, which is of a cross-border importance, especially of nitrogen at selected spots of the Eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Agreement with basics for its conclusion to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and Minister dr. Nikola Špirić is proposed as the BIH signatory.

 

KM 2.8 MILLION FOR ROMA NEEDS

Upon a proposal of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a Decision to allocate KM 2.8 million from Budget for solving the issues of the Roma population Bosnia and Herzegovina in the area of employment, housing and health care for year 2014.

Under the decision, KM two million will be committed for the housing, KM 600.000 for employment and KM 200.000 for health care needs of the Roma population.

 

TO IMPROVE EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATION STRUCTURE OF CITIZENS

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a Decision on Adoption of Adult Education Principles and Standards in Bosnia and Herzegovina, aimed at improving and balancing of education and qualification structure of citizens and increasing of employment in BIH.

The purpose of harmonisation of this area with the EU standards is to increase the professional mobility of working able citizens at internal, European and international labour markets, and to improve citizens’ living standard.

The related education principles and standards are intended for all education authorities in BIH as a framework for preparation of relevant strategies, strategic plans and guidelines for development of adult education schemes in BIH, and they serve as a starting point for further adult education reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

SYSTEM POTATO CONTROL IN BIH

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, the Council of Ministers of BIH accepted a report of the Office for Phytosanitary Protection on implementation of a special programme of monitoring of quarantine potato pests   in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013, which will be continued.

This system control showed in 2013 that there were no significant quarantine pests, namely Ralstonia solanacearum and Clavdibacter Michiganensis ssp.sepedonicus, on potato being grown, stored and distributed in BIH.

It is the third year of the quarantine potato pests special monitoring programme (system control) implementation by the BIH Office for Phytosanitary Protection, in cooperation with competent Entity and Brčko District authorities. Total 407 samples were taken this year for testing the presence of different quarantine potato phyto-pathogenic bacteria.

 

FREE TEXTBOOKS FOR 1247 ROMA PUPILS

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a report of the Ministry for Human Rights and refugees on implementation of a Revised Action Plan in BIH on Education Needs fo Roma for academic year 2013-/2014, which indicated a considerable progress in the inclusion of roam children into pre-school and Primary school system in BIH.

Total 1.248 Roma pupils were included into the primary education, with 267 pupils abandoning school in the first semester of this year. Part-time education included 102 pupils, free text books were secured for 1247 pupils, free transport for 3019 pupils, while scholarship was secured for 25 pupils. The total number of Roma students in secondary education is 137.

The session stressed a need for day centres for small children, which will provide services to young Roma women and mothers, to be developed as a joint NGOs and local communities project activity.

 

ADMISSION TO BIH CITIZENSHIP

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of civil Affairs, the Council of Ministers of BIH took individual decisions on admission to citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina of the following persons: Schaurte Christiane Anni Charlotte, citizen of the FR Germany and sportswoman in horse riding dressage; Janete Stajlčić, citizen of the Republic of Slovakia, on the grounds of her efforts in connecting of BIH and Slovakian entrepreneurs; Marko Musović, citizen of Montenegro and professor at the Academy of Art in Eastern Sarajevo; Rijad Dedić, citizen of Montenegro and potential BIH representative in judo; Joško Petričević, citzen of the republic of Croatia and dean at the Faculty Medicine in Mostar; and Edvin Rastoder, citizen of the Republic of Serbia and potential representative of U-17 BIH national soccer selection.

 

NEW BUDGET SAVINGS

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers of BIH tasked Ministries to review justifiability of each financial obligation from its scope of competence in connection to payment of fees in international organisations, initiatives, agencies and foundations.

The Council of Ministers of BIH made this conclusion for the reason of making budget savings, since Bosnia and Herzegovina pays annually KM 672.000 of membership fees in various international organisations, initiatives, agencies and foundations, which annually increase approximately for 5 per cent.

 

WORK GROUP FOR STATE AND MILITARY PROPERTY ACTIVITY REPORT

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information on Results of work of the Work Group for Solving the Issues of State and Military Property, and concluded that a Draft Law on State Property, proposed by the Ministry of Justice should be withdrawn from the procedure at the Council of Ministers of BIH.

The Draft Law on State Property, which was earlier agreed at the Work Group - comprised of Ministers Bariša Čolak, Sredoje Nović and Damir Hadžić - has no consensus anymore.

The Draft Law on State Property was not considered at the Council of Ministers session, because Minister Damir Hadžić proposed, in the meantime, a new text Law.

 

 

GENERAL AFFAIRS SERVICE OF BIH INSTITUTIONS TO PREPARE INFORMATION ON TAKING OVER SERVICING BIH PRESIDENCY

The Council of Ministers of BIH was informed of both a conclusion adopted at the 43^rd session of the BIH Presidency in relation to consideration of a Report on the current security status and other aspects of managing the building of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and of information of the General Affairs Service of the BIH Institutions on the handover of the BIH Presidency building.

The General Affairs Service of BIH Institutions is tasked to prepare, as soon as possible, information to the Council of Ministers of BIH on a possibility of taking over the servicing  the BIH Presidency building (maintenance, internal security, catering etc.) from the aspect of required finances and human resources.

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