Council of Ministers Holds its 11th Session

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined and will send to the Presidency of BIH a Proposal Financing Agreement (Water Supply Development Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Development Association. Minister of Finance and Treasury dr Nikola Špirić is proposed as the signatory. 

It is a USD 40 million worth loan, out of which USD 19.5 million or 49.0 % will be allocated to the Federation of BIH, and USD 20.5 million or 20.5% to Republika Srpska, extended under IDA conditions, with 25 term and 5-year grace period.

The aim of the project is to improve irrigation and drainage system performance, including infrastructural investments and support to competent local communities.

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined and will send to the Presidency of BIH a Proposal Loan Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development – Additional Financing of Facilitation of SME Access to Finances Project. Minister of Finance and Treasury dr Nikola Špirić is proposed as the signatory.

The IBRD loan is worth EUR 90,100,000.00, out of which an amount of EUR 53.924,850.00 is allocated to the Facilitation of Access to Finance to SMEs in Federation of BIH, and EUR 35,949,900.00 is allocated to Republika Srpska. The term of loan is 25 years, and grace period 10 years.

This project is a follow-up of the 2010 Improvement of SME Access to Finance Project, worth EUR 47, 800,00.00.

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined and will send to the Presidency of BIH Proposal Basics for conclusion of Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Ministers of BIH Loan and Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran on development aid. Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Mirko Šarovič is proposed as the signatory.

Under the Memorandum, the Government of the Islamic Republic of Iran will provide to BIH, i.e. the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina a EUR 568,000.00 grant for development of laboratories of the Institute for Agriculture of Federation of BIH for the purpose of research of reproduction of high quality fruit and vegetable seedlings and medical herbs.

With a view at improvement of anti-illegal migration measures, the Council of Ministers of BIH defined and will provide to the Presidency of BIH Proposal Basics for negotiations and conclusion of an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Serbia on handing over and admitting of persons whose entrance or stay is illegal, together with a Protocol between the Ministry of Security of BIH and Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Serbia on implementation of an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Serbia on handing over and admittance of persons whose entry or stay is illegal.

The conclusion of such Agreement will enable a contracting state to admit, without formalities, in its territory any person not fulfilling conditions for its entry or stay on the other contracting state, if it is found or justifiably presumed that the person concerned holds citizenship of the contracting state receiving the request.

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined Proposal basics for negotiations for acceding Wassenar Arrangement (WA) for exportation control of conventional arms and goods and technology of dual use, which will be provided to the Presidency of BIH. Minister of foreign Affairs of BIH dr. Zlatko Lagumdžija is proposed as the signatory.

BiH’s accession to this multilateral arrangement, with 41 acceding countries to date, creates conditions for ensuring regional and international security and safety by way of control of exportation of conventional arms and goods and technology of dual use.

The Council of Ministers of BIH authorised Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Vjekoslav Bevanda to sign a Protocol between The Council of Ministers of BIH and Independent Trade Union of Civil Servants and Police Officers and Employees in BIH Institutions, Judicial Institutions and Public Institutions of BIH.

The previous Council of Ministers accepted Information on negotiations outcome between a negotiating team, designated by The Council of Ministers of BIH, with representatives of the Independent Trade Union of Civil Servants and Police Officers and Employees in BIH Institutions, Judicial Institutions and Public Institutions of BIH.

The Council of Ministers highlighted a need for a comprehensive analysis of all expenditures incurred in Ministries and bodies of the Council of Ministers of BIH in order to make additional savings in the BIH Budget.

Under the Protocol, the base for accounting of salaries of employees in BIH Institutions will amount to KM 475.69 for May 1 – Dec. 31, 2012, and it will not decrease in 2013, while the Ministry of Finance and Treasury will simulate a possibility of an increase of work time food benefit from KM 6 to KM 7 in 2014.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a Decision on Visas, under which the best European practice and Schengen zone regulations will be followed, along with relative alignment of the BIH visa policy.

The decisions defines a release from obligation of attaining visa for entry into BIH territory and 90 day stay within any six month period for citizens of 67 countries and holders of travel documents issued at special administrative territories of the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan, for the first time. 

Also, non-visa regime is defined for foreigners holding multiple visa or stay permit for Schengen countries, i.e. for EC countries they come from, with a prior check at border crossing, and in this case a foreigner cannot stay in BIH longer than 7 days.

Based on a bilateral agreement, citizens of the Russian Federation are freed from visa requirement, with conditions provided for in the previous decision, and they can stay in BIH for 30 day without visa if invited by a State or Entity Institution or by an international organisation representative office in BIH.

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the 2012 Individual Partnership Programme of Bosnia and Herzegovina between BIH and NATO, which calls for 24 areas of cooperation, 140 activities and 188 events.

Most of the events will be organised by the Armed Forces of BIH, 138 events, Ministry of Defence will organise 25 events, Ministry of Security will organise 22 events, and three events will be from the scope of activities of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Council of Ministers of BIH considered a Report on Human Trafficking in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Report on Implementation of Action Plan for Fight against Human Trafficking in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2011, and returned it to the Ministry of Security for further elaboration, which will refine it, based of suggestions, and supplement it with a proposal conclusion.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to admit to citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina basketball player Wright Zackary Lamar, a US citizen, who is a potential play for the national basketball team of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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