Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 34 Session

INCREASING SECURITY ON ROADS OF BIH 

The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Security Basics at Roads of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which increases traffic  security and approximates the area to relevant European standards.

Law Amendments, in function of decrease number of traffic accidents, envisage  a ban of use of mobile phones and other communication appliances for drivers while on drive, in addition to ban od use of audio-visual media which disturb or avert their attention, and also a ban for pedestrians to use mobile phones with headset while passing road.

The Supplements regulated the move of vehicles in roundabout, and driver retention who were detected over 1.5 promil of alcohol in their blood, while those who deny testing are prescribed higher fines.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport will provide the Proposal Law to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH for consideration under regular legislative procedure.

 

AMENDMENTS NAD SUPPLEMENTS TO LAW ON ARMS MOVEMENT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Arms and Military Equipment Movement Control, aiming to improve legal solutions and its better implementation, favouring both institutions and businesses in the area of special-purpose industry.

The Ministry of Security will provide the Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Arms and Military Equipment Movement Control to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH for consideration under a regular legislative procedure.

 

TO CRATE EFICIENT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Administration, improving the existing legal solutions in accordance with principles of efficient public administration.

The Amendments and Supplements to the Law uniformly resolve the issues of special conditions for appointment of managers and their deputies, creating conditions of higher competition and preventing subjectivity in defining conditions, thus far proposed by institutions concerned individually. Simultaneously, a term of office of acting manager is precisely set, and the function of administration inspectors is emphasised.

 

DIGITAL TACHOGRAPH SYSTEM APPLICATION SPECIFIED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on worktime, mandatory rests of mobile workers and traffic recording appliances, for its further harmonisation with the relevant Directives of the European Union and for removal of uncertainties arising in the law implementation.

The Amendments and Supplements to the Law remove imprecisions as to digital tachograph system application.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport will provide the Proposal Law to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH for consideration under regular legislative procedure.

 

STABILISATION NAD ACCESSION COMMITTEE FIRST MEETING ON DEC. 17 IN BUSSELS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Directorate for European Integrations on holding of the first meeting of the Stabilisation and Accession Committee between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Union.

The meeting will discuss reforms taking place in the process of accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union in the light of political and economic criteria and financial support, as well as on implementation of the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement.

 

INCREASED BIH EXPORT – DEFICIT DECREASES FOR MORE THAN 7 PER CENT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Analysis of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations on foreign exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first nine months of 2015, which indicates  further growth of export and decrease of import, resulting in fall of deficit for 7.01 per cent in relation to the same period last year.

The total volume of foreign trade in the reported period was KM 18.48 billion, or KM 156 million more than same period last year. The coverage of import by export was 56.73 per cent or 2.82 more than last year.

The European Union is still the major foreign trade partner of BIH and in total volume it covers 64.73 share, followed by CEFTA signatory- countries with 13.31 per cent and the other countries with 21.96 per cent.

In the first nine months of this year, BIH exported mostly to Germany, Italy, Serbia, Croatia, Austria, Slovenia, Turkey, Monte Negro, Hungary and Netherlands. The export to the above countries accounted for 76.26 per cent of total export. The most of import was made from Germany, Italy, Serbia, Croatia, China, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Austria and USAD, in 72.60 share.

This year’s Q1-Q3, compared with the same period last year, shows a considerable export of fresh or frozen beef, in amount of KM 51.38 million, while last year’s export values reached KM 812.67 thousand, as the beef was exported to Turkey solely. At the same time, a considerable increase of export of frozen beef worth KM 17.86 million was recorded, while last year’s figures suggest at KM 1.26 thousands only.

 

ENHANCED ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of Information of the Directorate for Economic Planning on movement of economic indicators for January-September 2015, proving continued economic activities.

The preliminary data suggest at a growth of physical volume of industrial output of 2.5 per cent in the first nine months of this year, relative to the same period last year, and the most notable growth was evidenced for 4.1 per cent in export-oriented processing industry.

In August 2015, the number of employed persons in BIH was increased for 1.4 per cent, while the number of unemployed deceased for 1.5 per cent in September.

Budget revenues from the Single Treasury Account of the Indirect Taxation Office marked increase this September as high as 18.3 per cent, so that the nine-month level increase was 9.5 per cent.

Bank deposits by the ned September reached KM 16 billion, or KM 757.2 million more than in the same period 2014.

 

Q1-Q3 BUDGET EXECUTION REPORT ADOPTED

 

The Council of Ministers adopted a Report of Execution Budget of BIH Institutions and International Obligations of BIH for January-September 2015.

Total realised revenues and financial support available to BIH Institutions for the first nine months of this year reached KM 752.842.486 or 79 per cent relative to the budget projection. Total budget expenditures of BIH Institutions in the first nine months if 2015 were KM 634.538.328 or 67 per cent relative to the adopted 2015 Budget, without special purpose funds.

The BIH Institutions continued saving as regards salaries and emoluments to employees, with reduction of expenses for phone services and entertainment costs, while revenues were made in KM 788,440.00 from sales of budget users’ motor vehicles, in connection with the car pool reduction policy. A moratorium to employment in BIH Institutions in currently in effect, expect for extraordinary cases subject to the Council of Ministers approval.

The period January-September continued a trend of orderly foreign debt servicing in total amount of KM 387,343,916.26.

 

CONITNUED CORRIDOR V C MOROTWAY CONSTRUCTION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Loan Contract (Corridor V c 2 Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in amount of EUR 80 EUR with 15 term, including four-year grace period and favourable EURIBOR interest rate.

The Loan would be used for construction of a motorway at sub-section from Buna to Počitelj, long 7.2 km, construction of motorway at sub-section at Donja Gračanica and Zenica Tunnel, which continues to Klopče-Donja Gračanica section, including road loop Zenica North together with a bridge on the Bosna River and connecting road to the road loop to the regional road, long 3.9 km.

The finds will be allocated to the Federation of BIH, and the Loan beneficiary is the Public Company Motorways of FBIH, Ltd. Mostar.

The project is expected to be completed by December 31, 2019.

Own financing will be provided for the project in aout of EIR 16.2 million, for expropriation and design.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Contract, together with Basics for its conclusions, to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury was proposed for the BIH signatory.

 

BIH AND ITALY TO INTENSIFY COOEPRATION ON READMISSION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Protocol between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Italy on implementation of an Agreement between the European Community and Bosnia and Herzegovina on readmission of persons staying on each other’s territory without permits.

The Protocol facilitates the Agreement implementation and sets rules of procedure of for competent bodies of the two states in readmission of their and citizens of the third states, as well as stateless persons and their admission while in transit.

The Proposal Protocol with a negotiations report will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Security was proposed as the BIH signatory.

 

ACTIVITIES FOR SHARED USE OF DIPLOMATIC-CONSULAR  OFFICES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined two proposal basics for negotiations for conclusion of both an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of Monte Negro and Agreement between the Council of Ministers and Government of the Republic of Macedonia on co-location of diplomatic-consular offices.

It is about a joint use of diplomatic-consular offices by Bosnia and Herzegovina and Monte Negro and by Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Macedonia, which would reduce costs considerably, further to assisting citizens and proving the promotion of bilateral relations.

The proposed Agreements, set forth, among other things, conclusion of special protocols confirming an agreement for joint use of diplomatic-consular offices, as well as all related financial and administrative-technical conditions for such an arrangement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will provide individual proposal basics for conclusion of the two Agreements to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs was proposed as the BIH signatory.

 

IMPROVED COOPERATION IN SEARCHING FOR MISSING PERSONS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined Proposal Basics for starting a procedure for accession to an Agreement on Status and Functions of the International Committee for Missing Persons as International Organisation.

Acceding to the Agreement, possibilities would be created for better inter-governmental cooperation in the process of search for missing persons.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees will provide the Proposal Basics to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, while the BIH signatory will be the Chairman of the Presidency of BIH.

 

CROSS-BORDER COPERATION OF BIH AND MONTE NEGRO

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined and sent to the BIH Presidency for further procedure a Proposal Agreement on Financing Cross-Border Cooperation Programme of Activities of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Monet Negro for 2014 between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Programme total value is EUR 988.235, of which EUR 840.000 will be disbursed by the European Union in a form of grant, and the remainder funds will be secured by projects beneficiaries.

The Activities Programme of cross-border cooperation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Monte Negro is to be implemented in compliance with a Framework Agreement between the European Commission and BIH on arrangement for EU financial support implementation in Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Instrument of Pre-Accession Assistance, and it aims social-economic development and fostering of good neighbourly relations in the border areas.

 

EUR 253.4 MILLION FLOOD-CAUSED DAMAGE COMPENSATION PAID BY JUNE 30, 2015

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Report of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury on realisation of international commitments made at the Brussels Donor Conference on July 16, 2014 for recovery from damage caused by floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, conclusive with June 20, 2015.

According to the Repot, the Brussels Conference pledged total EUR 810.5 million for recovery from for flood damage, out of which EUIR 139.7 million were grants and EUR 680.8 million were loans, in addition to EUR 41.4 for cross-border activities.

The total value of allocated international resources for recovery from last year’s floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina until June 30, 2015 was EUR 675.2 million, with total disbursement in amount of EUR 253.4 million.

According evaluation of damage made and recovery needs, prepared by all-level Institutions of BIH, in cooperation with the European Union, United Nations and World Bank  representatives, the total damage and losses in last year’s May floods reached EUR 2.037 billion or 15 per cent of GDP of Bosnia and Herzegovina, of which 70 per cent was in the private sector.

 

TO CREATE MODERN POLICIES IN AGRICULTURAL-FOOD SECTOR

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Analysis of trends in production and trade with agricultural products in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and tasked the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to make regular annual analyses of production and trade trends in agricultural products from the aspect of competition level of domestic agricultural production, and to submit these to the Council of Ministers of BIH.

It was emphasised that BIH agriculture sector is ahead of an important priority to create modern policies in agricultural-food sector and introduce an instrument to enable effective approximation to the European Union by way of gradual harmonisation of policies with the principles of common EU agricultural policy.

Defined were 14 activities to be implemented in the coming period of time, targeting the increase of production and competitiveness within the process of development of sustainable and effective agricultural sector to secure GDP growth, more domestically produced food satisfying consumer needs in respect of safety and quality, creation of sustainable development of rural areas, preserving of nature and natural environment quality and preparation of BIH agriculture for the EU integration.

 

AML/CFT ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION WORK GROUP

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Security, to setup a Work Group for implementation of an Action Plan for removal of deficiencies in anti-money-laundering and combating financing of terrorism, with an aim to harmonise the system with the standards and recommendation of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF).

The Work Group will be comprised of State and Entity level Ministers and Deputy Ministers of Justice and Finance,  Security of BIH, and Manger of the Indirect Taxation Administration, Chairs of Committees for Securities of BIH and Entities and President of the Judicial Committee of the Brčko District.

The Work Group is due to implement the Action Plan-defined activities for removal of deficiencies in fight against money laundering and with an aim at the anti-money-laundering and combating financing of terrorism system harmonisation with standards and recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), under deadlines set by the Action Plan.

 

APPOINTMENTS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH considered an Opinion of the BIH Civil Service Agency and related job vacation ad documentation for appointment of managerial civil servant, and appointed Željeko Medek for Manager of the Institute for Accreditation of Bosnia and Herzegovina as the most successful candidate, following completed job vacation procedure.

At the same time, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on release from duty of Žarko Petroivić from his post of Manager of the Institute for Accreditation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as at November 30, 2015 as he fulfilled conditions for retirement.

The Council of Ministers of BIH considered an Opinion of the BIH Civil Service Agency and related job vacation ad documentation for appointment of managerial civil servant and appointed Velimir Jukić for Manager of the BIH Statistics Agency of BIH, and Fadil Fatić and Miljan Popić for Deputy Managers, as the most successful candidates after the completed public job vacancy procedure.

The Council of Ministers of appointed Muamer Bancić for Manager and Željeko Tepavčević for Deputy Manager of the BIH Agency for Labour and Employment, as the most successful candidates after the completed job vacancy procedure, while the previous acting Manager and Deputy Managers of the Agency were released from duty.

The Council of Ministers appointed Sead Hadžić for Deputy Manager of the Agency for Forensic Investigations of BIH as the best candidate after the completed job vacancy procedure and released from duty of the previous Manager.

The Council of Ministers appointed Hamdo Tinjak for the chief negotiator for adjustment of the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations.

The Council of Ministers of BIH appointed the Council for Science of BIH, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, for a four-year term.

 

INFORMATION FOR HOUSE OF REPRESNETATIVES OF BIH PALRIAMENT

 

At the closed part of its session, the Council of Ministers adopted Information on terrorist attack in Rajlovac, carried out on November 18, 2015, along with data on measures undertaken, as well as on general security in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it will be provided to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly House of Representatives for the purpose of realisation of conclusions from its 20^th session of November 11, 2015.

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