Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 46th Session

TRADE DEFICIT DROPS DOWN 8.69PER CENT LAST YEAR 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of an Analysis of Foreign Trade Exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2015, which indicates that in the reported period the export grew and import decreased, which produced a reduction of trade deficit in relation to year 2014.

According to the ANALYISS PF HTE Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, goods imported to BIH in 2015 were valued at KM 15.85 billion, or 23 per cent less relative to year 2014, while the total export was valued at KM 8.98 billion, as increased for 3.52 per cent. Therefore, the coverage of import by export was 56.70 per cent, or 3.10 per cent more than the year before.

The increase of export and fall of import resulted in a decrease of the trade deficit, which in year 2015 was KM 6.86 billion, or 8.98 per cent less in comparison to the year before.

The European Union is still our major foreign trade partner, participating with 64.81 per cent share in the total volume of foreign exchange, and is followed by CEFTA 2006 country-signatories, with 13.5 per cent, whole other counters account for 21.94 per cent share in foreign trade.

Bosnia and Herzegovina exported last year mostly to Germany, Italy, Croatia, Serbia, Slovenia, Austria, Turkey, Montenegro, Hungary and Netherlands, but the most of the import came from Germany, Italy, Serbia, Croatia, China, Russia, Slovenia, Turkey, Austria and Poland.

 

BIH TO GET CLOSER TO GLOBAL NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT STANDARDS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined proposal basics for conclusion of a Contract for “Decision Support for Mainstreaming and Scaling-up of Sustainable Land Management – DS – SLM – GCP/GLO/377/GEF” between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The aim of the project is to increase food safety, agricultural development and natural resources management improvement.

The Contract for the Project was drafted in relation to the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD Convention), which Bosnia and Herzegovina ratified in 2002. The funds for realisation of this FAO- implemented Project were approved by Global Environment Funds (GEF) in amount of USD 6,116,730.00, of which USD 290,000.00 are for BIH.

The Proposal Basics will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations was proposed for the BH signatory.

 

EUR 60 MILLION FOR WINDMILL IN BERKOVIĆI

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH endorsed an initiative of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury and designated a negotiating delegation for conclusion of a Loan and Project Agreement between the KfW, Frankfurt am Main and Bosnia and Herzegovina for the amount of EUR 60 million intended for Hrgud Windmill.

The Hrgud Windmill will be constructed in the Municipality of Berkovići, and will contain 16 wind-turbines with a 126 GWh annual power generation.

The loan term is 15 years with four-year grace period, and will be allocated to Republika Srpska.

 

IRAN AND BIH TOEXTEND A LSIT OF GOODS WITH CUSTMS PRIVILEGES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH sent Proposal Basics for negotiations on a Protocol on Amendments and Supplements to Agreement on Preferential Trade between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Islamic Republic of Iran, prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations for the purpose of expanding the trade volume.

This way a list of gods for which the two states had approved customs privileges is intended to be expanded for the reason of further improvement of bilateral trade.

The Proposal Basics will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations was proposed for the BIH signatory.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations will seek an opinion on the list of goods for customs privileges from the Indirect Taxation Administration and will report it to the Council of Ministers of BIH.

 

PROLONGED IMPLEMENTATION OF TWO HEALH IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS IN BIH

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on adoption of the Ministry of Civil Affairs-proposed Project Document for the Phase IL of the “Strengthening of DOTS Strategy and Improvement of National Anti-Tuberculosis, Multi-resistant Tuberculosis and Infection Control Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina” Project, prolonging the project implementation by June 30, 2016.

Also, the Council of Ministers took a Decision to Supplements to Decision on adoption of Project Document for the Phase II of the “Proportional Increase of Universal Access for Most Vulnerable Groups in Bosnia and Herzegovina” Project, prolonging the project implementation by September 30, 2016.

The aim of these two projects is the health promotion of peo0ple in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

KM 754,00.00 FOR CARE-TAKING OF RELEASED MILITARY PERSONNEL

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, proposed by the Ministry of Defence, on realisation of a grant for implementation of the Program of Transition and Care-Taking for Released Military Personnel and Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina “Perspective“,  in year 2016.

Total KM 740,000.00 was secured in the Ministry’s budget for the implementation of the Programme of Transition and Care-Taking of Military Personnel and Armed Forces of BIH “Perspective” in 2016. The funds will be used for care-taking of 233 released persons in 2016, who are in the process of transition and care-taking.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will, through the Single treasury Account, transfer the funds from the BIH Institutions Budget, approved to the Ministry of Defence of BIH, based on a relevant decision.

The Ministry of Defence will provide to the Council of Ministers of BIH a final report on the grant for implementation of the Programme of Transition and Care-taking of Released Military Personnel and Armed Forces “Perspective” in 2016.

 

MIRAŠČIĆ APPOINTED FR MEMBER OF IGA STEERING BOARD

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH appointed Goran Miraščić, on behalf of the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, for a member of the Steering Board of the Export-Loan Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to replace Haris Abaspahić, who was released from the duty by the Council of Ministers of BIH, upon his own request.

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