Press Releases
Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds its 13th Session
07/01/2015
Vijeće ministara Bosne i Hercegovine
The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Kingdom of Audi Arabia on cooperation in combat against crime, which should improve bilateral cooperation of relevant institutions of the two countries, including international anti-terrorist actions.
The two states will cooperate in fight against crime in al its forms, particularly against terrorism and organised crime of money laundering and forgery, arms smuggling, illicit drugs trade, human trafficking and illegal immigration.
The Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina is charged for the implementation of the Agreement, on behalf of the Council of Ministers, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on behalf the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The Ministry of Security will provide the Proposal Agreement to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and Minister Dragan Mektić is proposed for the BIH signatory.
EUR 1 MILLION FOR FLOOD RECOVERY
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Amendment of a Grant Agreement under the State 2009 IPA Programme for Bosnia and Herzegovina for infrastructure improvement of regional basic transport network in BIH – railway transport, to be concluded between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Investment Bank (EIB with Basics for its conclusion.
This would allow the use of unused grant funds in amount of EUR 1 million for rehabilitation after last May’s disastrous foods-caused damage and their allocation to the railway sections most affected by the floods. Simultaneously, the Argument implementation period is being extended to December 1, 2015.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Amendment with the Basics for its conclusion to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and Minister Vjekoslav Bevanda was proposed as the BIH signatory.
BIH LAUNCHES PROCEDURE FOR JOINING “EUROPE FOR CITIZENS” PROGRAMME
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Proposal Basics for conclusion of an Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union on participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in “Europe for Citizens” Programme 2014-2020, which enables support provision to citizens’ groups, non-government organisations and local authorities.
The “Europe for Citizens” Programme supports inclusion of citizens into the European integrations process; it strengthens European identity based on common values, develops sense of belonging to the European Union and strengthens mutual understanding and tolerance among citizens. Bosnia and Herzegovina has had a successful part in the “Europe for Citizens” 2007-2013 Programme, when 33 BIH applicants participated as partners in the approved projects, four of them were holders of the projects of total value of EUR 129,000.00.
The Ministry of Justice will provide the Proposal Basics to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and Head of BIH Mission in the EU was proposed as the BIH signatory.
Bosnia and Herzegovina accedes the “Europe for Citizens” Programme based on the Framework Agreement between the European Community and Bosnia and Herzegovina on General Principles of Participation of BIH in Community Programmes.
SAME SALARIES IN BIH ISNITTUTIONS NEXT YEAR
The Council of Ministers, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, took a decision on a level of basic salary of employees in the BIH Institutions for year 2016, which will be at the level of KM 476.69, as unchanged from 2012, when, for the purpose of budget savings, was decreased, together with decreased holiday benefit currently amounting to KM 300.
INFORMATION ON PRESSURE AND INTIMIDATION OF MEDIA
The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry of Justice to develop of legal regulations to secure for BIH to properly apply international conventions as regards protection of freedom of speech and opinion.
The Council of Ministers tasked the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees to prepare a comprehensive report on the state-of-affairs and freedom of media in BIH in the light of apparent pressures and intimidation of media in Bosnia and Herzegovina - as a follow-up of January 15, 2015 conclusion of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH – and to provide it to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly.
Simultaneously, the Council of Ministers took note of information on apparent pressures and intimidation of media that the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees prepared based on statements by relevant State, Entity and Cantonal authorities in BIH.
Information indicates, among other things, that in the period 2006-2014, a journalists s.o.s. line registered 60 criminal cases against journalists and media. Total 9 verified court decisions were made in favour of journalists, seven rulings implied money indemnification (KM 200-500), two criminal verdicts in favour of journalists with indemnification order (KM 600-1,500), while one case was closed by apology to journalist, an attack victim. In 13 cases no investigations were conducted or profs were missing for action of by competent institutions.
TO CONTINUE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT MONITORING
The Council of Ministers od BIH adopted a Report on public procurement monitoring in 2014, and tasked the Public Procurement Agency of BIH to continue monitoring of public procurement procedures and fill annually its monitoring repots to the Agency Board, while the Council of Ministers of BIH would annually, as appropriate, publish them on its web site. The aim of the monitoring is to secure economically justifiable and rational spending of public funds and the nest possible result of the money for value exchange.
The Report says that a considerable progress was made in development of public procurement system, with contracting bodies adopting a number of recommendations from previous reports on public procurement procedure monitoring.
In the course of 2014, the Public Procurement Agency of BIH sent 582 communications to contracting bodies on spotted irregularities in public procurement notices, contract awards and procedure annulments. Contracting bodies remedied the irregularities right away in 148 cases; while in 79 cases, contracting bodies explained the irregularities evidenced in the monitoring; 59 contracting bodies responded that the evidenced irregularities would be remedied in the future. At the same time, 12 contracting bodies annulled the procedure due to indicated irregularities, while 248 contracting bodies failed to respond on evidenced irregularities.
LAW DEVELOLOPMENT OF BAN OF INCITING AND SPREADING OF ETHINC, RELIGIOUS AND RACIAL HATRED
The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees to prepare and submit to the Council of Ministers a Proposal Law on ban of incitement and spreading of ethnic, religious, racial and other forms of hatred in BIH, thus supporting an initiative of Denis Berćirović, Deputy in the House of Representatives of BIH Parliamentarian Assembly, adopted at its 9th session of March 25, 2015.
MEMBER OF CIVIL SERVICE APPELLATION COMMITEE MEMBER RELEASED FORM DUTY
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to release Feliks Vidović form his duty of a member of the Civil Service Appellation Committee for the reason of assignment of anther duty, on June 8, 2015.
The Secretariat-General f the Council of Ministers of BIH is tasked to publish a job vacancy ad for selection of three members of the State Civil Service Appellation Committee.
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