Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 110th Session

KM 17.8 MILLION FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT AND ROAD CONSTRUCTION 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a resolution, as proposed by the Ministry of Communications and Transport, on ways of use of special purpose funds,  in amount of KM 17,602,470.00, received against accorded licences for universal mobile telecommunication systems in 2014.

Out of the amount, KM 2,640,370.50 (15 %) will be directed for the telecommunications sector development and will be spent as per a decision of the Council of Ministers of BIH, while KM 14,962,099.50 (85 %) will be used for financing of preparations and construction of the road infrastructure.

The major portion of the resources, i.e. KM 8 million, will be spent for construction of  interstate bridge Gradiška, at the Gradiška-Okučani motorway, and KM 4,161,482.00 will be spent for construction and monitoring of works at inter-state bridge Svilaj, at the Corridor V c motorway.

The preparation of project-study documentation for the Adriatic-Ionian motorway, in its part running through Bosnia and Herzegovina (Počitelj – Neum – Trebinje – border with Montenegro) is provided for with KM 2,800,617.50.

 

 

TO IMPROVE EDUCATION STRUCTURE AND TO INCREASE EMPLOYMENT

 

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a resolution to adopt a Strategic Development Platform for Adult Education in the context of life-time education in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2014-2020, aiming at furthering educational and professional structure of population, for the ultimate purpose of increasing the BIH employment rate.

It is meant to increase professional mobility of population fit for work at internal, European and international labour markets, in addition to improving citizens’ quality of life.

The adoption of the Strategy is a key prerequisite for establishment of a system and coordinated approach to adult education in BIH by way of development of adequate strategic, legislative and institutional framework.

The document is intended to all education authorities in BIH, as a scope for strategies and strategic plans development, including guidelines for development of adult education n BIH by year 2020.

 

 

TO FACILITATE LAUNCH OF BUSINESS AND TO SIMPLIFY INVESTMENT PROCEDURES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Loan Agreement  between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for facilitation of business start-up and simplification of investment procedures, in addition to a promotion of cross-border trade.

The EUR 37,400,000.00 worth loan, with the allocation of 60 per cent to the Federation of BIH and 40 per cent to Republika Srpska is of 25 year term with 10 year grace period and concessive interest rate, as a support to reform policies directed towards the improvement of business environment in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

 

BIH AND ALBANIA MUTUALLY RECONGNISE DRIVERS’ LICENCES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined Proposal Basics for negotiations on an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Council of Ministers of the Republic of Albania on mutual recognition of drivers’ licences.

The Agreement regulates the recognition and replacement of drivers’ licences to citizens of one of the states who are approved residence or stay in the territory of the other state, without taking theoretic and practical exam for drivers’ licence of the type they already possess.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport will send the proposal to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for further procedure, and the Minister of Communications of Transport is proposed as the BIH signatory.

 

 

BIH FIRST IN THE WORLD WITH NEW GENERATION PASSPORTS

 

Upon a proposal of the Identification Documents, Evidence and Data Exchange, (IDEEA), the Council of Ministers of BIH, took a Regulation on prices of travel documents, which provides for the introduction of a new generation of passports with a tin polycarbonate flexible identification second page.

Thereby, Bosnia and Herzegovina will be the first country in the world with passports of new generation, meeting four requirements: laser personalisation, on-line data acquisition, polycarbonate page with data and colour photo.

The price of passport, of 10 year validity is KM 50.00. The average price of 10 year validity passports in the region and Europe is EUR 64.8.

The price of passport for children aged 3-18, with five year validity, is KM 40,00, and for children under the age of three and with three year validity the price of passport is KM 30.00.

 

 

 FOERIGN SHIPS INCOMING EFFECTS ANALYSIS TO BE PREPARED IN 30 DAYS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Communications and Transport, took a Decision on setting-up of multi-sector work group for analysis of the effects of incoming of foreign ships to the coastal part of Adriatic Sea in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The multi-sector work group, to be comprised of   representatives of state Ministries and the Municipality of Neum, should prepare within 30 day deadline an analysis of the effects of incoming of foreign ships into the coastal part of the Adriatic Sea in BIH, taking care of the ecological, economic, foreign policy, security and defence aspects of the incoming of foreign ships. The coordinator of the work group will be Izet Bajrambašić, Assistant Minister of Communications and Transport of BIH.

 

 

EMPLOYMENT INCREASED FOR 1.2 PER CENT IN JUNE 2014

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of a Report of the Directorate for Economic Planning on macroeconomic trends for January-June 2014, which suggests that the BIH economy was positive in the reported period relative to the same period of time last year, although somewhat contended because of  the floods.

Nevertheless, the trends showing a modest economic growth in the region, slight growth of industrial production in BIH, coupled with inflation and adverse weather conditions which affected BIH and the surrounding countries, make it necessary for appropriate measures and activities to be taken in order to improve the situation in BIH economy.

The Report underlines that the Council of Ministers will undertake all needed measures and activities from its competence to promote and attract investments, to support exports and employment with a view at improvement of the economic situation in BIH.

According to the Report, the number of employees in BIH in June 2014 was 7000.730.000, or 1.2 per cent more that in the same month 2013.

According to the indicators available, May 2014 floods expectedly slowed down the economic activity in BIH, and contained the continuation of 2.7 per cent rate economic growth, achieved in the first quarter. It caused a rapid fall of citizens’ living standard, notably in the affected areas, and worsened the government sector fiscal position. A sudden drop in production this May intensified exports decrease, which had started earlier, reaching a negative annual rate of 9.4 per cent this May, and causing deterioration of foreign exchange balance.

However, the most important improvement was made in July, when commodity export increased by 5.9 per cent and industrial production for 4 per cent, relative to July last year.

Further to that, the retail trade also marked a real increase at 2.3 per cent rate this July, which additionally suggests at a start of positive trends in the second half of the year.

The average net salary in BIH in July 2014 was KM 829 and is nominally higher for 0.9 per cent; and average pension benefit in BIH in July 2014 was KM 353, nominally higher for 5 per cent in comparison with the same month last year.

BIH marked, in July 2014, a deflation of 0.9 per cent, and prices fell in food, beverages, cloths and footwear, housing, water, power, gas and other energy products. The major inter-annual increase of prices in the reported period was in alcoholic drinks and tobacco (increase of dues for cigarettes in early 2014).

 

17,685,209 PERSONS CROSSED STATE BRODER IN FIRST HALF OF 2014

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted individual activity reports for the first half of this year, prepared by the State Committee for Borders of Bosnia and Herzegoivna, Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office , Supervisory Body for Implementation of State Strategy for Work on War Crimes Files, and Border Police of BIH.

The Border Police of BIH points in its report that in the first six months of this year, BIH border was crossed by 17.685.209 persons, in 8.831.855 entries and 8.858.354 exits from BIH.

This period evidenced 101.26 border crossings by citizens of high migration risk countries and it is less for 19.78 per cent in relation to 2013. Total 699 foreigners were not allowed entry to BIH, i.e. citizens of 59 countries and two stateless persons.

The introduction of a new application for border checks resulted in finding 432 documents invalid for crossing the state border.

Total 87 persons were detected in illegal border crossing, i.e. 56 in illegal entry and 31 in illegal exit. 

Competent prosecutor offices were submitted 70 official reports due to justified suspicion at 82 criminal deeds made at border crossing points, in border belt an in the rear of BIH, for which 350 persons were reported.

In the first six months  of 2014, 576 felons were reported, out of which 506 at border crossings, and 70 outside the border crossing areas. Total 43 requests for misdemeanour proceedings were submitted, and 524 misdemeanour warrants were handed over.

 

 

BIH AND SERBIA JOINTLY AT THIRD MARKTS

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Report of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations on conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of the Republic of Serbia o economic cooperation at third markets, signed on September 26, 2014 in Belgrade.

This Memorandum provides for a legal framework for cooperation of the two countries at third markets in the areas of shared interest on the principles of equality, mutual benefit and reciprocity and compliant to commitments of both countries stemming from their respective legislations and international treaties.

 

 

NEW BUDGET SAVIGNS

 

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, the Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Action Plan as a follow-up of the Audit Office of BIH Institutions recommendations, made in an Audit Report “management of service contracts and part time and temporary work contracts in the Institutions of BIH.

The Plan defines eight activities to be taken by the state Ministries, Council of Ministers and Parliamentarian Assembly within precisely defined time spans and targeting budget savings and adoption of single rules and procedures for service contracts and contacts and part time and temporary works.

The required activities include the development, amendments and supplements to the Law on Work in BIH Institutions, by December 13, 2014, with a view at securing legal base for conclusion of contracts for part time and temporary works, more precisely defining of conditions for their conclusion.

The Council of Ministers will define, within 30 days from the date of amendments and supplants to the Law on Work taking effect, single rules and procedures for management of service contracts and part time and temporary work contracts.

 

 

TO DECREASE RISK OF INFLUENZA A- SUB-TYPE H5N1 TO POULTRY

 

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, the Council of Ministers took a regulation on biosecurity measures for containing a risk of transmission of highly pathogenic avian influenza from birds living in the wild to poultry and other birds in confinement, which is harmonised with relevant EU directives.

The regulation defines measures of biological security for decrease of a risk of transmission of highly pathogenic bird influenza caused by virus A – H5N1 sub-type from birds living in the wild to poultry and other birds in coop, and secures early detection system in the areas of special risk, in addition to specifying conditions for trade with breaded poultry intended for reproduction of free-living population of game. The competent authorities for the implementation of the regulation are the Veterinary Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and competent Entity and Brčko District of BIH bodies.

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