Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds its 53rd Session

LAW ON BORROWING, DEBT AND GUARANTEES ALIGNED WITH WORLD BANK CRITERIA 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements ot the Law on Borrowing, Debt and Guarantees of Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming its alignment with the real needs and practice, since the Law on Borrowing, Debt and Guarantees was adopted in 2005.

The Amendments, which harmonisation of normative solutions with the practical needs, is accompanied by supplements, in compliance with the World Bank requirements concerning data disclosure. Simultaneously, an obligation was introduced of registration of debts of cities and funds, so that more comprehensive data wpuld be ensured about borrowing in our country.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Law to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH for consideration under a regular procedure.

 

BIH DEBT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY ADOPTED FOR FIRST TIME

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted for the first time the Ministry of Finance and Treasury-proposed state-level Mid-Term Debt Management Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus making BIH fulfil one of commitments under the BIH Reform Agenda Action Plan.

Other than the structure presentation, the Strategy contains indebtedness level evaluation and it defines mid-term debt management aims and guidelines for reaching the aims set. The Strategy convers mid-term debt management strategies of Republika Srpska, the Federation of BIH and Brčko District of BIH, including BIH Institutions foreign debt.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will apply guidelines defined in the BIH Mid-Term Debt Management in future foreign borrowing decision-making.

In accordance with the Action Plan for the Reform Agenda implementation at the Council of Ministers level, the Fiscal Council was recommended to adopt as early as possible a calendar data exchange needed for the development of the BIH Mid-Term Debt Management Strategy, necessary for the high-quality preparation and up-dating.

 

ROAD CONSTRUCTION AND MODERNISATION, REHABILITATION OF BRIDGES AND TUNNELS

 

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 Contract (Flood Damage Recovery asn Modernisation of Roads in the FBIH) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

It is an EUR 65 million worth loan with 15 years term and three year grace period with favourable EURIBOR interest rate, while additional EUR six million will be provided from the Federation of BIH budget for the project realisation.

The Loan proceeds are intended for flood recover and roads modernisation, construction of by-passes around Bugojno, Donji Vakuf, Grude and Livno, as well as around Cazin, Kiseljak and Goražde. Also, funds will be used for construction of the first phase of roads between Izačić and Bileća, and between Bihać and Bosanska Krupa, in addition ot rehabilitation of 16 bridges and a tunnel.

The project is  a part of a wider investment programme “FBIH Roads Modernisation”, included into the 2016-2018 Public Investment Programme and for with both the EBRD nod WorLd Bank showed their interest.

 

STEPPED-UP RSP-RELATED ACTIVITIES FOR REFUGEES HOUSING 

 

The Council of Ministers fi BIH adopted Information of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees on implementation of a Framework Agreement between the Council of Europe Development Bank concerning the Housing Regional Programme (RSP).

.The Information indicates that BIH is the first country to sign the Framework Agreement with the Council of Europe Development Bank concerning the Programme under which it has four approved sub-projects aiming ot secure housing for about 1,870 families.

The first two sub-projects envision moving of 950 beneficiaries into their houses in the territory of BIH. The construction of additional 438 apartments in residential buildings for local integration in 19 municipalities throughout BIH is being implemented within the third sub-project, and all buildings are scheduled to be occupied by year 2017. Bosnia dn Herzegovina takes tis best efforts to accelerate the verification of the fourth project aimed for reconstruction of 435 family houses for return of refugees and internally displaced persons and 45 family houses with a view to local integration , as it is tightly connected to the cross-border verification to be carried out by partner countries. In the region.

The regional Housing Programme envisions housing solutions for almost 27,000 refugee and displaced households or about 74,000 beneficiaries, of which BIH there are 5,400 families or 14,000 refugees or displaced persons.

 

CoMBIH ADOPTS ACTION PLAN FOR DISCRIMINATION PREVENTION IN BIH

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a report on Discrimination cases in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Action Plan for implementation of proposal anti-discrimination measures in BIH, which the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees will provide to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly.

The Council of Ministers of BIH Action Plan contains 32 measures and activities aiming suppression of all forms of discrimination, in accordance with a Report on Discrimination in BIH, based on data collected from competent institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina and data from annual reports of the Institution of Ombudsman for Human Rights in BIH.

 

ALL ACTION PLAN FOR BIH’S ACCESSION TO WTO REALISED IN FIRST THREE MONTHS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations on realisation of activities planned under the Road Map January-mid-March this year, including a report from both bilateral negotiations on market access and a meeting in the World Trade Organisation Secretariat of March 1 and 2, 2016 in Geneva.

The negotiating team will continue and intensify its activities for realisation the Road Map, in accordance with the presented Programme for the next three-month period of time, and will report to the Council of Ministers of BIH accordingly, after holding the XIII session of the WTO Work Group.

The Information reports that all Road Map-planned activities were fully realised in the first three months of this year. The activities implemented include talks within a new circle of bilateral negotiations on market access with Ukraine, the Russian Federation and Brazil, in Geneva.

In late 2015, the Council of Ministers reactivated the negotiations with the World Trade Organisation, which ceased in 2013 due to delay in internal reforms implementation.

 

TOTAL NUMER OF CRIMINAL ACTS DECREASED FOR 10.41 % COMPARED TO 2014

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information on Security Situation in BIH, and will forward it to the Parliamentarian Assembly. The Information on Security Situation in BIH in 2015 suggests that last year total registered were 31,009 criminal acts in BIH, which is a 10.41 decrease compared to year 2014, when total 34,705 criminal acts were registered.

According to the Ministry of Security Information, which sublimes indicators collected from all BIH police and security agencies, registered were total 22,874 criminal acts perpetrators in 2015, which represents a decrease of 12.01 % compared to year 2014, when total 25,998 criminal acts perpetrators were registered. A considerable decrease of number of perpetrators of criminal acts compared to year 2014 was contributed to by numerous police field measures, including the preventive ones. A number of juvenile perpetrators of criminal acts was decreased, which accounts for 3.92 per cent of total number of criminal acts, while in year 2007 their number exceeded nine per cent.

Out of total 31.009 criminal acts registered in year 2015, 57.89 % or 18.000 were criminal acts against property, and this group was decreased for 13.64 per cent compared to year 2014, with a simultaneous decrease of number of perpetrators for 15,58 per cent.

Last year saw a decrease of 6.09 per cent of criminal acts connected to misuse of narcotics in BIH (1,325 acts), relative to year 2014 when they were 1,411.

BIH police forces registered in 2015 total 723 criminal acts of corruption, with is an increase for 16.05 per cent in relation to the year before (623).

At the BIH level, the number of criminal acts against life and bodies in 2015 reduced (1,561) for 10.7 %, relative to the year before. Encouraging is the fact that the ratio of the resolved criminal acts of this type in Republika Srpska was 95 % and in the Federation of BIH 90 per cent.

The competent bodies in BIH undertook a series of measures and operations concerning three terrorist attacks committed in BIH. Filled were 20 reports against 31 identified and one unidentified persons for criminal acts of terrorism and similar acts. The State Investigations and Protection Agency (SIPA) submitted four reports against 18 natural and 10 legal persons, along with a supplement report against three natural and two legal persons suspected for money laundering and other criminal acts.

In the area of border security and movement and stay of foreigners, registered were 3.009 border crossings, i.e. attempts  at state border crossing by 1,270 persons, for whom the competent bodies issued warrants, measures of ban of state border crossing or measures related to security interested persons, which is for 16.04 more compared to the year before.

Total 179 persons were detected at illegal border crossing, or 5.29 % less comparted to the year before, of which 133 were detected at their illegal entering to BIH and 46 at their illegal exit form BIH.

Simultaneously, 2,432 foreigner were forbidden entry to BIH, because they were in breach of the Law on Movement and Stay of Foreigners and on Asylum, and it represents an increase of 22.4 per cent, compared to the year before.

 

TO STRENGTHEN FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND CONTROL IN BIH INSTITUTIONS

 

BIH Institutions will accelerate realisation of their respective activities on establishment and development of financial management and control quality system, and will develop appropriate action plans. These action plans will be based on planned measures and recommendations from the Consolidated Report on Financial Management and Control System in BIH Institutions for 2015, while activities will be harmonised with the Law on Financing of BIH Institutions and the relevant by-laws in force.

These conclusions stemmed from the 2015 Consolidated Report on Financial Management and Control System in BIH Institutions, considered by the Council f Ministers of BIH, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

 

CRA MANAGER APPOINTED

 

The Council of Ministers confirmed the appointment of Predrag Kovač for General Manager of the Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, upon a proposal of the Agency’s Council.

 

GENDER ACTION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION MONITORING COORIDANTION BOARD APPOINTED

 

The Council of Ministers took a decision, upon a proposal of the Ministry for Human Rights  and Refugees, to set-up a Coordination Board for the 2013-2017 BIH Gender Action Plan Implementation Monitoring.

Samira Filipović-Hadžiabdić was appointed Chair of the Coordination Board, and members are representatives form BIH Institutions and the Brčko District of BIH.

The Coordination Board is non-standing, cross-sector expert body of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, responsible for coordination and monitoring of the 2013-2017 Gender Action Plan implementation in BIH by state-level institutions, including the Brčko District of BIH.

 

FERHAT-PASHA MOSQUE OPENS ON MAY 7

 

The Council of Ministers put aside KM 200,000 for opening of Ferhat-Pasha mosque in Banja Luka. The mosque opening ceremony was scheduled for May 7.

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