Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 174th Session

AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO LAW ON STATE AID 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on amendments and Supplements to the Law on State Aid in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be sent to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH for consideration under a regular procedure.

The Amendments and Supplements to the Law refer to necessary harmonisation of the state aid system with obligations assumed under international treaties signed and ratified by Bosnia and Herzegovina, especially the obligations stemming from the European integrations process, i.e. taking effect of the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement. Namely, in the Law application, some of its relevant provisions were found to be only partially compliant to basic determinants of the EU acquis, which is the reason for the Law amendments and supplements.

 

INFORMATION ON MIGRANTS: PERVENTION OF ILLEGAL ENTRY

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH considered and adopted a note on situation in the area of migrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning an increased inflow of migrants to BIH, which indicates that the Foreigners’ Affairs Service got registered 10,595 illegal migrants in time period from January 1, 2019 to June 24, 2019.

An intention to apply for asylum was indicated by 9,919 individuals, and 196 of them applied for it.

The Minister of Defence will have prepared and provide to the BIH Presidency a proposal resolution on engagement of the BIH Armed Forces engineering units to block sites of illegal migrant entries, based on data from the Ministry of Security.

The Minister of Defence will hold briefings with Ministries of Interior and other police agencies in BIH for their engagement with the Border Police of BIH on drafting an agreement on assistance in border control along the BIH border line.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of BH will talk with neighbouring countries’ officials to the end of setting-up joint teams tasked for suppression of illegal migrations.

International bodies in charge for migrations were requested to present a report on the resources spent for migrants in BIH.

The Council of Ministers endorsed a proposal to have migrants form Vučjak transferred to a location in East Doboj to a site satisfying conditions for a humane and dignified migrant accommodation.

The Council of Ministers reiterated its readiness to act upon an urge by the Unsko-Sanski Canton and city of Bihać authorities to send a certain number of police force members to help in preserving public order in the area.

 

CONCLUISION OF ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL 6 TO CEFTA AGREEMENT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a report from negotiations on conclusion of an Additional Protocol 6 on Trade and Services to an Agreement on Amendment and Accession to the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA).

The Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BIH will provide the report to the BIH Presidency, with a proposal to authorise the Minister to accept the adoption of the Additional Protocol 6 at the CEFTA Joint Committee meeting.

 

BIH – RUSSIA ECONOMIC COOPERATION AIMING THIRD MARKETS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Notion for conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of the Russian Federation in the area of economic cooperation at the third countries’ markets.

The Memorandum provides for an extension of cooperation between legal persons registered in the countries-signatories and participating at foreign trade relations, with an aim at development of prospective future cooperation plans for joint activities at third countries’ markets based on mutual interest and experience.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is responsible to provide the Notion for the Memorandum conclusion to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, with a proposal for the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations as the BIH signatory thereof.

 

AGREEMENT TO REGULATE MAINTENANCE OF BRIDGES BETWEEN BIH AND SERBIA

 

The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Platform for negotiations on conclusion of an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of the Republic of Serbia on maintenance and reconstruction of road inter-state bridges.

The conclusion of the agreement will remove all obstacles and difficulties existing to date in connection to joint bridges maintenance and reconstruction and will secure a continuous and smooth traffic across the bridges at the border crossings between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Serbia.

There are twelve bridges at the inter-state border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Serbia, which require regulation of the issues relating not only to regular maintenance, but to their rehabilitation and reconstruction, as well, except for the bridge on the Drina River at Popovi/Badovinci, which is under concession and will be the subject of maintenance after the expiry thereof.

Preliminary estimates suggest that the maintenance of all 11 bridges requires EUR 6,600,000 or KM 12,908,478, and that Bosnia and Herzegovina is responsible for KM 4,205,035 or EUR 2,125,000. The funds should be budgeted starting from 2020.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport will be responsible for the project realisation and monitoring.

The Proposal Platform will be provided to the BIH Presidency by the Ministry of Communications and Transport, with a proposal for the Minister of Communications and Transport as the BIH signatory.

 

JULY 11 – MOURNING DAY IN BIH

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on proclaiming July 11 for the Mourning Day in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

2019-2023 NUCLEAR SAFETY INTEGRATED SUPPORT PLAN

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to adopt a 2019-2023 Nuclear Safety Integrated Support Plan, drafted by the State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear safety, in cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

The adoption of the Plan creates conditions for the International Atomic Energy Agency to support Bosnia and Herzegovina in strengthening the legal and regulatory framework, prevention, and defining of response to possible incidents, as well as in development of relevant human and technical capacities. The Plan was structurally developed to build relevant capacities and system of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a long-term aim at reaching its self-sustainability. IAEA provides such kind of support to all of its member-countries that accept it voluntarily.

The support to capacity-building will be directed to BIH, the Entity and Brčko District of BIH authorised institutions.

The support refers to, among other things, granting equipment for development of nuclear safety state system and related professional training.

 

CITIZEN HIGH SUPPORT TO EUROPEAN INTEGRATIONS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of results of a public opinion inquiry titled “Citizens’ Position as to Membership in the European Union and European Union Integrations Process”, conducted in April 2019.

According to the research, 8 out of 10 respondents would vote for entry to the European Union. As the most often reason for the entry it was indicated that the EU is a guarantee of a permanent peace and political stability, followed by the a free movement of people and goods, whilst the most often reason for the Euroscepticism it appears to be a concern about increase of taxes and living costs. The major obstacle to accelerating the European integrations the respondents see in the political hype of the integrations process, and anti-.corruption efforts as the most important reform leading to the improvement of living standard.

 

BIH PULIC DEBT IN SLIGHT DECREASE

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information on fiscal sustainability for Bosnia and Herzegovina, drafted by the Directorate for Economic Planning of BIH (DEP BIH).

According to DEP BIH, BIH falls among moderately indebted countries, the projected general government debt of which was 38% GDP at the end of 2017. Compared with other states of Central and Eastern Europe, BIH is the leased indebted country also having a debt decreasing trend. At the end of 2017, it was less for 7.4%, compared to the level of the year before. The major part of the public debt (66%) pertains to favourable foreign indebtedness with international creditors, and the internal debt accounts for 34%. One positive moment in addition is that BIH has been marking the budget surplus since 2015.

 

ADMISSION OF INDIVIDUALS RETURINING FROM FR GERMANY

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Activity Report by the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning the admission of Bosnia and Herzegovina citizens turning from the Federal Republic of Germany back to Bosnia and Herzegovina, based on the European Travel List for Return (EU Laissez-Passer).

Also, the use of the EU Laissez – Passer, issued by authorities of the Federal Republic of Germany is being additionally prolonged for the time period from June 30, 2019 to June 30, 2020, and will apply for citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina on their return/extradition to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Ministry of Security of BIH is responsible to monitor the process and inform the Council of Ministers of it, as appropriate.

The authorised bodies of the FR Germany announced the return of 2,419 individuals in time period form December 13, 2015 to April 39, 2019, and out of that number, total 1,203 citizens of BIH returned.

 

VOTE BY CITIZENS OF JAPAN IN BIH

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent for the pulling by citizens of Japan in BIH in the premises of the Japanese Embassy in Sarajevo at the elections held in Japan on July 5-13, 2019.

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