Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 36th Session

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Census of Population, Households and Dwellings in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2013, under which the Census operation will be postponed to six months. It means that the census will be held in the time period from October 1 to 15, 2013, and according to the state of play as at midnight September 30, 2013, as the census reference day. 

The Proposal Law was prepared by the Agency for Statistics of BUH, and will be sent to the parliamentarian procedure for urgent consideration.

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law for Accountability for Nuclear Damage, which regulated the issues of civil responsibility for nuclear damage caused after use of nuclear energy for peace purposes.

The Proposal Law, developed by the State Regulatory Agency for radiation and Nuclear Safety, with consultations with the International Agency for Atomic Energy (IAEA) and relevant BIH institutions, will be forwarded to the parliamentarian procedure.

Upon a proposal of the Directorate for Economic Planning, The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an economic-Fiscal programme for 2013, which will be forwarded to the European Commission by January 31, 2013.

The economic-fiscal programme is considered to be a preparatory paper for the Pre-Accession Economic Programme, which is a mandatory document for the EU candidate countries.

Competent State and Entity Ministries, Brčko District of BIH Institutions, Directorate for Economic Planning and Directorate for European Integrations took part in the development of the document.

The Programme points at the anticipated fall of Euro-zone in 2012 for 0.4 per cent and planned growth stagnation of 0.1 per cent in 2013 as the major causes of low growth projection if BIH economy of only 1.3 per cent.

This year’s Economic-Fiscal Programme is the seventh programme and fourth delivered to the European Commission following signing of the Stabilisation and Association Agreement in June 2008 and taking effect of the Provisional Agreement.

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined proposal basics for negotiations on a Memorandum of Understanding for Construction and Furbishing the University Library in Sarajevo between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It is a project of a great importance for academic community, especially for 35,000 students for whom required conditions for successful studies would be ensured, with implied realisation of high standards in high education.

The Saudi government, though Saudi Fund for Development expressed its readiness for participation at construction of the university Library by way of grant funds in amount of Saudi riyal 82.500.00, allocated to the Federation of BIH.

The Council of Ministers of BIH considered the Ministry of Defence’s Information on Implementation of NATO Perspective Programme of Transition of Military Personnel of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BIH, for July, 1 – December 31, 2012.

The Council of Ministers of BIH supports efforts taken by the Ministry of Defence in realisation of het transition process and taking care of military personnel and implementation of NATO Perspective Programme for BIH.

The Information reads that form the beginning of 2010 to the end of 2012, 1,949 soldiers were released, and they were taken care of through retirement under favourable conditions, through taking over by Entity bodies or by release from duty and taking care of through trust fund – NATO trust Fund I for BIH, while 2.123 young soldiers were admitted in the same period of time.

The aim of transition of personnel is renewing of the Armed forces of BIH, with maintenance of operative stability.

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Civil Affairs’ Information on implementation of the Action Plan for Overcoming Consequences of Accession of the Republic of Croatia to the European Union, and in connection with solving the issue of linking the labour rights and social status of workers from Bosnia and Herzegovina employed in the Republic of Croatia and fired in the period of time from 2001 to 1995.

An analysis of the situation in this field finds that 13,636 workers reported to competent employment services, in Federation of BIH 3,961, in Republika Srpska 9.548, and in the Brčko District 127 workers.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs is tasked to appoint a delegation comprised of The Council of Ministers of BIH representatives, which will undertake needed preparations and contact and start initial expert level negotiations with representatives of the government of the Republic of Croatia for the purpose of solving the issue of labour rights and social status of fired workers employed in the republic of Croatia. The BIH delegation will be comprised of representatives from Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Civil Affairs, and Human Rights and Refugees, including representatives of Associations of BIH citizens fired from their posts in Republic of Croatia.

Upon completion of expert talks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH will launch a procedure for conclusion of an agreement, pursuant to the Law on Procedure for Conclusion and Execution of International Treaties.

BIH Institutions, i.e. Associations of Fired Workers from the Republic of Croatia will provide needed funds for relevant activities from their own sources.

This Information will be forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for further action, and Ministries for Human Rights and Refugees, Justice and Civil Affairs will be notified of the action and will take measures within their competences.

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees on activities on protection of rights of Roma minority population in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which says that in the course of implementation of the Action Plan for Solving the Issue of Roma Population in 2009-2011, KM 9,935,405.00 were allocated for housing of Roam, and funds for 2012 in amount of KM 2,150,000.00 are currently in the implementation process.

About 156 housing units were constructed in 30 BIH municipalities , 191 housing unit was reconstructed, and 210 roam families use reconstructed infrastructure (water supply, sewage, power supply). Funds form 2012 will be utilised for the construction and rebuilding of about 70 housing units and construction of infrastructure facilities.

In 2009-2012, KM 1.5 million were allocated for employment of Roma , and total 212 roam were reported employed in employment services with support of funds for 2012, and KM 710.000,00 of such funds is planned to be used for the employment of additional 90 Roma.

Roma health care programme in 2009-2012 received KM 545,000.00.

The Council of Ministers assigned to the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees to prepare, by March 2013, a revised BIH Action Plan for Solving the Issue of Roma in the areas of employment, housing and health care, to incorporate recommendations of the International Managing Committee of the Decade of Roam Inclusion 2005-2015, as adapted to the EU Roma Social Inclusion Strategy by 20120.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refuges is tasked to initiate activities, through budget holders, and the existing institutional capacities and Board for Roma, to ensure funds required for implementation of the revised Action Plan for Solving the Issue of Roma.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees is tasked to cooperate with eth Board for Roma in order to prepare a proposal decision on appointment of a national coordinator for Roma, in line with the existing practice of Decade member states.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees will consider all options for implantation of the initiative for future employment of a Roma to coordinate Roma organisations and support the BIH Board for Roma, among other things.

The Council of Ministers of BIH endorsed an Initiative of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury and appointed a negotiating team for conclusion of an Agreement on Soft Loan between Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury (Borrower) and Erste Bank Osterreichen Sparkassen AG Austria (lender), for the procurement of Medical Equipment Project for Unsko-Sanski Canton Health Care Facilities.

The Loan is worth EUR 6.491.563,00, with 15 year repayment term and 5 year grace period. Funds will be sued for the procurement of new modern medical equipment for the purpose of improving health care service provision.

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Directorate for European Integrations on implementation of the Communication Strategy for Raising Public Awareness in BIH about EU Accession Process in 2012.

The Directorate for European Integrations is tasked to continue in 2013 the implementation of planned activities for the promotion of European integrations in the country, according to the proposed dynamics of the Communication Strategy implementation.

The Directorate for European Integrations is tasked to report to the Council of Ministers of BIH annually on the implantation of the Communication Strategy related activities.

The Directorate for European integrations realised 85% of the Strategy planned activities in 2012.

The aim of the Communication Strategy is to improve public awareness in BIH on the European integrations process in the country.

(end)