Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 85th Session

DEFICIT CUT IN 2013 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of Information of the Directorate for Economic Planning on macro-economic trends in January-December 2013, indicating that the BIH economy marked a slight growth in the first three quarters of 2013, thanks to decreased foreign trade deficit (16%), while the similar trend continued though the fourth quarter.

The deficit decreased due to nominal increase of export of 5.8  per cent and fall of import for 4 per cent. Positive trends were marked also in industrial production, with an increase of 6.7 per cent in end 3013.

The number of employed persons in BIH at the end of 2013 was 687.93 thousand, and the number of unemployed persons was 553.5 thousand.

 

DEMINED SURFACES IN BIH INCREASED IN LAST YEAR

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Defence on implementation of the anti-mine action by the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013, which says that the demined surface is larger for 432.180 m² in relation to year 2012.

So, total demined surface was 2.190.106 m², and a year earlier it was 1,757,926 m².

The amount of KM 3,504,169.60 was spent on the demining process, showing that the unit cost of one square meter of demined surface costs KM 1.60.

 

HOUSING LOAN

The Council of Ministers of BIH endorsed an Initiative of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury,  and designated a Delegation for negotiations on a Loan Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the of Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) for financing a social programme of housing of law-income individuals.

The EUR 5 million loan is intended for housing of young and highly educated people in Republika Srpska, which is the loan beneficiary.

The RS investment Bank will co-finance 10 per cent of expenses, while 90 per cent will be covered by the CEB loan.

The loan terms and conditions will be the subject of negotiations, and indicative CEB loan terms are 20-year term and 5 year grace period with preferential interest rate.

 

IMPROVING BILATERAL COOPERATION

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Slovenia on cooperation in the area of tourism, for the purpose of increasing the number of tourists visiting the two countries.

BIH and Slovenia will, though the Memorandum, incite cooperation of tourist agencies and other relevant bodies on attraction of tourists coming tom the third countries.

Simultaneously, the countries-signatories will promote cooperation in tourism, such as investments in construction of hotel and other accommodation capacities.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations will provide the Proposal Memorandum with a Report from Negotiations to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, while Minister Boris Tučić is proposed for the BIH signatory.

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of Georgia on International Road Transport, which would provide for legal preconditions for establishing a regular airline and part-time airline for passenger and cargo transport between the two countries.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport will provide the Proposal Agreement to the Presidency of BIH for further procedure, and Minister Damir Hadžić is proposed for the BIH signatory.

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined Proposal Basics for negotiations on Amendment XII-XXIV of an Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control, Article IV, Annex 1-B of the General Framework Agreement for Peace in BIH, which confirms the improvement of the security situation in SEE.

By these Amendments,  Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Republic of Croatia and Republic of Serbia confirmed the significance and role of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in facilitating negotiations and implementation of the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control. Its successful implementation enables annulment of the function of Special Representative of the OCSE Chairman for the Agreement, and also  provides for continued cooperation with OSCE on implementation of the Agreement on Sub-Regional Arms Control.

The Proposal Basics will be provided to the BIH Presidency, while Foreign Minister dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija is proposed as the BIH signatory of the Amendments.

 

TO TAKE FURHTR ACTIVITTES ON PERVENTION FO VIOLENCE AT SPORTS COURTS

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Security on a Round Table on Prevention of Violence in Sports Courts in BIH, which was held in Sarajevo, on December 8, 2013 with an expert assistance of the Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia.

Security agencies of BIH and the Republic of Slovenia will intensify their cooperation for prevention of riots in sports courts, as the Republic of Slovenia expressed its readiness to support BIH in this area.

It was concluded that activities need to be concretised concerning the prevention of riots at sports contests in BIH, which necessitates a strategic decision-making to enable reaching a comprehensive problem solving.

BIH competent bodies will try to secure support of TAIEX next year for organising a workshop on prevention of violence in sports courts, with an expected attendance by representatives of counties of the region.

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of Information on a damage caused by setting fire to the premises the Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with report on the status of archive materials and depot.

The Information indicates that the total damage is only possible to assess after completing the cleaning process of depot, situated the attics of the BH Presidency building, which was set to fire.  

The valuable archive material, including the considerable part of archive equipment, was destroyed in fire on February 7 this year.

 

BIH AGENCIES COORIDINATED IN FIGHT AGAINST CAR–CRIME

The Council of Ministers of BIIH adopted an Annual Report of the Ministry of Security on implementation of the Action Plan for prevention and suppression of criminal acts in connection with motor vehicles (2012-2015), which says that the law enforcement agencies in BIH acted in coordinated manner on suppression of car crime, and achieved an adequate level of cooperation with the international counterparts.

The Report provides a review of the realised activities on the part of the following institutions participating in achieving positive results in suppression of car crimes: the State Ministries of Justice and Security; Indirect Taxation Administration; Border Police; State Investigations and Protection Agency; NCB Interpol Sarajevo; Identification Documents, Data Exchange and Evidence Agency; Federal Police Administration  and Cantonal Ministries of Interior; Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska and BIH Brčko District Police; and Entity Ministries of Justice and judicial institutions.

 

VOTING BY CITIZENS OF SERBIA NAD HUNGARY

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs the Council of Ministers of BIH granted separate consents for organising a balloting by citizens of Hungary and Serbia, in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Citizens of the Republic of Serbia, who stay in BIH, will, at the up-coming parliamentarian elections on March 16, 2014, vote from 7.00 to 20.00 hrs at three locations in BIH: the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Sarajevo and in Consular Offices in Banjaluka and Mostar.

Voting by citizens of Hungary, staying in BIH, will be held on April 6, 2014 form 6.00 to 19.00 in the premises of the Embassy of Hungary in Sarajevo, at the up-coming parliamentarian elections.

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