Press Releases
Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 48th Session
07/04/2018
Vijeće ministara Bosne i Hercegovine
The Council of Ministers of BIH, at its 148th session of July 3, 2018, took note of both Information on implementation of an Agreement on Succession Issues concerning all its Annexes and with an emphasise on property and rights protection in the Republic of Croatia, together with the BIH Minister of Justice-prepared Information on activities undertook under the Agreement on succession Issues, conclusive with June 18, 2018.
The Bosnia and Herzegovina Negotiating Team in the Standing Joint Committee of High Representatives of Ex-SFRY Successor Countries was tasked to intensify all needed activities on realisation of the Agreement on Succession Issues of Ex-SFRY for the purpose of recovering of the property of Bosnia and Herzegovina situated in other successor-countries, to what the countries-signatories of the Agreement on Succession Issues of ex-AFRY committed.
The BIH Supreme Attorney’s Office was tasked to intensify its activities on protection of BIH property in Croatia and Serbia, and to report the Council of Ministers of BIH regularly of the activities undertaken.
The Governments of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and Brčko District are urged to task bodies competent for “passive balance” to take all needed measures and activities for the sake of protection of mentioned property.
The Council of Ministers of BIH finds out that the conclusion of bilateral contract with the Republic of Croatia on property relations is welcome, but it is not a precondition for return of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s property situated in the Republic of Croatia, and it tasked the Minister of Justice of BIH - in his capacity of a member of BIH Negotiating Team in the Standing Joint Committee of High Representatives of Ex-SFRY Successor Countries, which is competent for the Agreement on Succession Issues of Ex-SFRY Annex G implementation - to take urgently all other needed activities for a direct application of the Agreement on Succession Issues of Ex-SFRY, in order to secure return and protection of all movable and immovable property of citizens and legal persons of BIH, as well as the state property of Bosnia and Herzegovina, situated in the Republic of Croatia and other successor-countries, based on the Agreement on Succession Issues of Ex-SFRY.
IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION PLAN OF URGENT MEASURES AND CoM CONCLUSIONS CONCERNING INCREASED INFLUX OF MIGRANTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH supported activities taken by the Ministry of Security, in cooperation with responsible institutions and agencies, in accordance with the Action Plan of urgent measures and conclusions of the Council of Ministers of BIH concerning an increased influx of migrants to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The session vowed the support to the announced visit of the Minister of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina to Unsko-Sanski Canton, and emphasised that activities should be accelerated for opening of the Agrokomerc company facilities for accommodation of a large number of migrants, for which a support from the European Union is expected. Also, a possibility was considered of opening of an additional location in the area, with financial support of the international community.
According to the Ministry of Security, the Foreigners’ Affairs service registered 7,128 illegal migrants in time period between January 1 and June 22 this year, of which 682 migrants applied for asylum, out of 6,354 migrants who announced such intention.
The State Agency for Investigations and Protection and BIH Directorate for Police Bodies Coordination support the BIH Border Police with total 50 staff members in order to help protect BIH border from illegal entries to the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The support to the BIH Border Police also includes 60 police staff members of Republika Srpska, 15 policemen from the Brčko District of BIH, while an additional engagement of the Entity police forces is being under consideration.
The Foreigners’ Affairs Service put into custody 18 persons from Syria, Algeria, Libya, Palestine and Pakistan, who did some incidents and threatened public order in the Unsko-Sanski Canton.
Activities are on-going on furbishing the Ušivak military barracks near Hadžići for accommodation of migrants with financial support from the International Organisation for Migrations.
Activities are simultaneously taking place at both international and regional levels for strengthening of effective border control, combating against smuggling of people and joint suppression of illegal migrations, which remains the priority for the European Union as for the Western Balkans countries.
This information together with the Action Plan of urgent measures concerning increased influx of migrants to Bosnia and Herzegovina will be provided to the BIH Presidency.
WITHDRAWAL OF IMF EXTENDED ARRANGEMENT THIRD TRANCHE
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, upon a proposal by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, on withdrawal of the third tranche of Extended Fund Facility (EFF) with the International Monetary Fund.
Under the decision, approved was the withdrawal of the IMF EFF third tranche in total amount of Km 73,631,304.43, equivalent to SDR 31,621,700.00.
Within the Extended Fund Facility, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury will, when conditions allow, issue a Promissory Note and take all activities required for the third tranche withdrawal.
JULY 11 – MOURNING DAY IN BIH
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on announcing July 11 – the Mourning Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and tasked the Ministry of Civil Affairs for tis implementation. The decision was verified today by adoption of the records from the previous session.
ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS FROM EC QUESTIONNAIRE
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted information on additional questions from the European Commission Questionnaire for preparation of an opinion on an application of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the European Union.
Bosnia and Herzegovina got additional 655 questions, of which 20 per cent are auxiliary questions to the EC Questionnaire questions from December 2016, which is in line with the average number of questions other states got.
The directorate for European Integrations translated these questions and on June 27 sent them to work groups for preparation of answers. BIH expects to complete this exercise in the next three months.
EU COMMENDS PROGRESS AND URGES FOR CONTINUATION OF REFORMS
The session adopted Information by the Directorate for European Integrations on a meeting and consequent conclusions of the European Union Council of General Affairs for Enlargement and Stabilisation and Accession Processes.
The EU General Affairs Council commended the progress, on June 26 this year, in Bosnia and Herzegovina in the part referring to finalisation of answers to the Questionnaire and adoption of relevant reforms oriented to the European Union, like excises and whole-country environment and rural development strategy, together with progress reached in the areas of economic development and competitiveness.
Also, BIH authorities were urged to continue reforms and implement the reform Agenda, with a noted concern divisive rhetoric and election campaign slow the reform dynamics.
BIH ACCEEDS CE CONVENTION ON CINEMATOGRAPHY
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Ministry of Civil Affairs-proposed Platform on accession to the Council of Europe Convention on Cinematograph Co-Production (revised), which creates more favourable conditions for co-production and development of film industry, not only in the European member countries but beyond, as well.
The accession to the convention will enable Bosnia and Herzegovina to be an active participant in the creation of appropriate and effective cooperation mechanisms in cinematography.
The Revised convention, among other things, offers the legal and financial framework for co-production of long-meter films, involving production companies established in three or more states. Also, the convention may be used as a bilateral framework in absence of a particular co-production contract between two countries.
The Proposal Platform will be provided to the BIH presidency, and the Minister of Civil Affairs was proposed for the BIH signatory.
TO ENABLE OPERATION OF INSTITUTE FOR CRIMINAL SANCTIONS EXECUTION AT URGENT
The Council of Ministers of BIH required the BIH Institute for Criminal Sanctions, Detention and Other Measures Execution to take activities within its competences to complete the procedure of technical acceptance of the facility and urgent putting it in operation.
This was concluded after the Council of Ministers took note of information of the Ministry of Justice of BIH on the process of putting into function of the Institute for Criminal Sanctions, Detention and other Measures Execution.
According to the above information, all civil construction works were done, and after all needed documentation was obtained on September 8, 2017, the East Ilidža Municipality received a request for issuing a use licence and technical acceptance of the facility of the State Prison. However the procedure of issuance of use permit, which usually lasts a short time, is now being prolonged for eight months.
INTEGRATED BORDER MANAGEMENET ACTION PLAN ADOPTED
The Council of Ministers of BIH, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Security of BIH, adopted an Integrated BIH Border Management Strategy Action Plan for year 2018.
The Action Plan contains several tens of activities, which the BIH competent bodies are to implement in 2018, according to their work programmes and related deadlines in the areas of border control and customs surveillance, development of customs infrastructure, supervision of state border, suppression of illegal migrations, detection of cross-border crime in coordination with all law-enforcement agencies, strengthening of anti-corruption activities, and in the area of cross-agency cooperation in the integrated border management.
According to the Plan BIH made a significant improvement in the area of integrated border management over the past period of time, and the majority of guidelines for intra-agency, cross-agency and international cooperation has been implemented or is in the process of implementation.
BIH – FR GERMANY ECONOMIC COOEPRATION GETS INTENSIFIED
Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Federal Republic of Germany will intensify their economic cooperation and solve more effectively the outstanding issues faced by businessmen from both countries.
In regard to that the Council of Ministers of BIH, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, took a decision to form a Work Group for development of economic relations and improvement of economic relations between BIH and the FR Germany.
Representatives from competent State-level, Entity and Brčko District institutions, including representatives from chambers of commerce and employers will be designated into the Work Group. They will, together with members to be appointed by the Fr Germany relevant institution, comprise the Work Group for improvement of economic cooperation of the two countries.
THIRD PHASE OF GIZ PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS STRENGTHENING PROGRAMME IN IMPLEMENTATION
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a January 1, 2017 – December 31, 2017 Report on implementation of an Agreement on implementation of Bosnia and Herzegovina Public Institutions Strengthening Programme between the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office and “Deutsche fur internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)”.
The ten-year BIH Public Institutions Strengthening Programme has been in implementation in three phases since 2010.The first phase lasted until the end 2013, and second until the end 2016. The two and half year long third phase implementation is in the process, which is in conformity with an offer for implementation of technical cooperation under the Public Institutions Strengthening Programme.
The third phase budget is EUR 2,250,000, and GIZ is the only responsible part for funds control and management.
The beneficiary institutions of the Programme phase III are the following: the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office, BIH Civil Service Agency, directorate for European Integration, Public Procurement Agency of BIH, Appellation Office.
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