Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 10th Session

AGENDA FOR IMPROVEMENT OF ECONOMY, LIVING STANDARD AND FASTER ROAD TO EU ADOPTED 

The Council of Ministers of BIH, on a proposal of the Chairman of the Council of Ministers, adopted an Economic Reform Agenda of BIH, containing a list of measures and plans, within the Council of Ministers of BIH competences, for the second half of 2015 and first quarter of 2016, under, and designated Chairman Dr Denis Zvizdić for its signing.

The purpose of the Agenda is to strengthen sustainable, effective, socially just and steady economic growth, job generation, to increase and better target social benefits, and to create sustainable and equitable social environment.

The BIH reform Agenda covers main plans of the Council of Ministers and Entity Governments in the areas of public finances, taxation, fiscal sustainability, good business environment and competitiveness, labour market, rule of law and good governance, and public administration reform for the needs of starting the process of recovery and economy modernisation.

The reform agenda was agreed in tis working version at Jahorina meeting, with support of the European Commission and IFIs. The Agenda was based on BIH commitments under the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement and Agreement on Labour and Employment. A meaningful progress in the Agenda implementation is a precondition for consideration by the EU of an application for EU membership.

 

BUDGET EXECUTION REPORT FOR 1 Q ADOPTED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Report of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury on execution of Budget of the BIH Institutions and International Obligations of BIH for the first three months of 2015.

Total realised revenues and support to finances of BIH Institutions in time period January-March 2015 were KM 219,728,099.00, and total expenditures were KM 205,213,823.00. All foreign debt obligations were regularly serviced in amount of KM 126,537,210.51.

 

BIH-SERBIA COOPERATION IN SEARCH FOR MISSING PEROSNS IMPROVED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Protocol on Cooperation in search for missing persons between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Serbia, to be provided, together with the accompanying negotiations report, by the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, while Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH  Dr Densi Zvizdić was proposed for the BIH signatory.

The two states thereby agreed to take, without delay, all measures and activities needed to solve all missing persons cases. Mutual cooperation will include exchange of information and documentation on missing persons, burial sites, exhumation and identification processes, as well as facilitation of procedures of  hand-over of remains to families, transfer of the remains and provision of other kinds of assistance to families of missing persons.

 

 

NEW STATE-LEVEL REGULATION ON CATEGORISATION OF ATHLETES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted information on deserving athletes of Bosnia and Herzegovina and athletes of an international class.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH is tasked to develop a proposal of a new regulation on categorisation of athletes at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina and provide it to the Council of Ministers of BIH for adoption.

 

BIH PUBLIC INDEBTEDNESS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BIH on public debt of Bosnia and Herzegovina as at December 31, 2014, and will provide it to the Parliamentarian Assembly. The BIH public debt amounts KM 11.5 billion, out of which KM 8.2 billion is foreign debt, and KM 3.3 billion is internal debt, excluding restitution related obligations.

The session concluded that the reviewed debt indicators are still within deficit limits of a sustainable debt. However the overall state of economy indicates at a necessity of a system monitoring and control of future indebting, as well as more active debt management policy. It was, therefore, emphasised that new debts should be linked to development projects, i.e. projects to result in accelerated structural and economic reforms implementation and economic growth and development.

The foreign debt of BIH at the end of 2014 was increased for KM 809.4 million or 10.9 per cent, compared to 2013, because of approved loan funds withdrawals of the International Monetary fund, European Investment Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development in amount of KM 1.1 billion, as deducted for paid principle amounts.

The average due time is 7.6 years, and grace period 6.6 years. Total KM 12.9 billion of foreign loans were contracted as at end last year, of which KM 10.9 billion were in operation, while about KM 2 billion are available for disbursement subject to approved projects implementation. More than 53 per cent of new loans are for realisation of infrastructure projects, about 35 per cent for public sector, and over 11 per cent for economic activity.

Total amount of internal indebtedness is KM 3.3 billion as at December 31, 2014 does not include neither direct nor indirect debt with the state as holder of obligation. Simultaneously, in total internal debt, the share of the Federation of BIH is 33.53 per cent, of Republika Srpska 56.74 per cent, and of Brčko District 0.63 per cent.

Due amounts were regularly serviced last year in total amount of KM 760.92.

 

CoM ON EXPIRED MANDATES OF MANAGING CIVIL SERVANTS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Secretariat-General on data concerning length and expiry of term to officials appointed  in the institutions and bodies form competence of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with accompanying suggestions made at the session.

Sector Ministries and other institutions are tasked to review legality of procedures already completed for each submitted proposal for appointment of managerial and other staff (steering boards’ members) from the Council of Ministers competence, and the Council of Ministers will suggest the procedure on each individual proposal.

Based on the information of the Secretariat-General on expiry of mandates of managerial staff in the institutions from the Council of Ministers competence, the Agency for Civil Service of BIH is tasked to public job vacancy ads, in cooperation with competent BIH Institutions for the needs of filling vacant positions  of managerial civil servants.

The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry of Security to publish, in compliance with the Law Ministerial Appointments, Appointments in the Council of Ministers and Appointments in BIH, ads for selection and appointment of Directors and Deputy Directors of the Identification Documents, Evidence and Data Exchange Agency of BIH and five members of the Steering Board of the Centre for Information and Recognition of High Education Documents.

The Ministry of Security should publish, in compliance with the Law Ministerial Appointments, Appointments in the Council of Ministers and Appointments in BIH, ads for selection and appointment of members of the Council of Postal Traffic of BIH and Director of BIH Railways Regulatory Board.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations should publish, in compliance with the Law Ministerial Appointments, Appointments in the Council of Ministers and Appointments in BIH, ads for selection and appointment a member of the Concession Committee of BIH, as the mandate of the incumbent one expires on July 13, 2015.

The Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH should propose candidates for appointment of the Public Administration Reform Coordinator and Deputy Coordinator under the Office of Chairman, pursuant to Section II, paragraphs 1 md 4 of the Decision Establishing the Office of Coordinator for Public Administration Reform; a proposal appointment for Deputy Coordinator has been submitted earlier.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is tasked to prepare a proposal decisions on public advertisement for selection and appointment of a member of the BIH Indirect Taxation Administration Steering Board.

 

57,308 UNMATCHED PRODUCTS FOUND LAST YEAR

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information on situation in the area of market supervision of non-foodstaffs in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 014, prepared by the market Supervision Agency of BIH.

A proactive and reactive market supervision last year detected total 57.308 unmatched products, and out of that number, at 50.226  product inconsistencies were remedied, while 7.082 products were withdrawn from the market and recovered from consumers, as they posted serious threat to consumer health ad security. Total 5.865 products were destroyed. Most often groups of unsafe products are those for children and toys (41 per cent), electric appliances (26 per cent) and personal protective equipment (21 per cent) A risk analysis found the most frequent risks are from injuries (41 per cent), drowning (18 per cent)  and from fire and burns (15 per cent).

 

TO CONTINUE PARTICIPATION OF ARMED FORCES AND POLICE OFFICERS OF BIH IN UN PEACE MISSIONS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Report on participation of members of the Armed Forces of BIH and police officers in peace keeping missions, which the Ministry of Defence will provide to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH and BIH Presidency.

The Council of Ministers of BIH proposed for the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH to assess as justifiable and approve continued participation of the BIH Armed Forces and police officers in the following peace support missions:  UN mission in DR Congo; peace-keeping mission in the Republic of Mali; NATO-led mission “Decisive Support” in Afghanistan;  UN mission in Liberia, nine police officers with possibility of extension of the contingent; peace-keeping mission in the South Sudan, Abeui, 36 police officers with possible extension of the contingent, and eight police officers  to peace mission in Cyprus, also with a possibility of contingent extension.

 

TO SECURE READMISSION OF CITIZENS TETURNING TO BIH BASED ON READMISISON AGREEMENT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH, upon a proposal of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, defined a Proposal Strategy of Bosnia and Herzegovina for readmission and integration of BIH citizens returning to BIH, based on an Agreement on Readmission and Proposal 2015-2018 Action Plan, to be sent to parliamentarian procedure with incorporated technical suggestions made a the session.

The Strategy is intended to set-up a functional and harmonised readmission system of BIH citizens returning, based on the Agreement on Readmission and to secure their social and economic integration in their respective places of return. The Strategy will be realised though five goals and 46 activities, and will require KM 2,589,000.00, our of which  KM 1,612,000.00 or 62.2 per cent will be secured from the BIH Institutions Budget, while donor funds are expected to make up the remaining KM 977,000.00 or 37.8 per cent.  

A work group - comprised of relevant State, Entity, Brčko District institutions representatives, along with representatives of municipalities in the Federation of BIH and Republika Srpska -  developed the Strategy, with the assistance of the Swedish Development and Cooperation Agency (SDC) and Catholic Relief Services (CRS) .

 

ACTION PLAN AGAINST PROLIFERATION OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a National Action Plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina for implementation of UNSC resolution 1540, as proposed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to take and implement effective measures against proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, means of their transport and similar matters.

The National Action Plan is focused to strengthening of dialogue and cooperation on non-proliferation of weapons, regional cooperation, improvement of state legislation and regulations framework, and it includes activities undertaken since last state report provided to the 1540 Committee in 2012.

 

AGREEMENT ON SUCESSION IMPLEMETNATION BOARD MEMBERS APPOINTED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, took a decision on appointment of members of joint bodies and members of negotiating teams for implementation of an Agreement on Succession Issues.

Minister of Finance and Treasury of BIH Vjekoslav Bevanda was appointed for a member of the Standing Joint Committee of Higher Representatives of Succession Countries, Deputy Minister of Defence Boris Jerinić was appointed for a member of the Joint Committee on Issues under Agreement Annex A, Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Adnan Kapetanović was appointed for a member of the Joint Committee for Issues under Agreement Annex B,  and Vice Governor of the Central Bank of BIH Ankica Kolobarić was appointed for a member of the Joint Committee for Issues under Agreement Annex C, Director of the Archives of BIH was appointed for a member of the Joint Committee for Issues under Agreement Annex D, and Minister of Justice Josip Grubeša was appointed for a member of the Joint Committee for Issues under Agreement Annex G.

So, the BIH negotiating team for implementation of the Agreement on Succession Issues is comprised of: Vjekoslav Bevanda, as Head of the Team, and members Boris Jerinić, Adnan Hadžikapetanović, Ankica Kolobarić, director of the BIH Archives and Josip Gurbeša.

Previous heads of BIH teams are tasked to provide activity reports of the previous teams to Minister of fiancé and Treasury Vjekoslav Bevanda. On appointment of expert teams, due regard should be taken of the ethnic representation, compliant to the BIH constitution.(end)