Press Releases
Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 119th Session
10/30/2017
Vijeće ministara Bosne i Hercegovine
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Communications, with an aim at introduction of a single European number for emergency situations 112 throughout BIH. This way, the BIH legislation is being harmonised with the European Union’s relevant legislative, fulfilling an earlier recommendation of the European Commission.
The Law Supplements define that a telecommunications operator is due to enable all users free of charge dials, text messages to a single European number for emergency situations, including e-dials and dials to other codes for access to emergency services in Bosnia and Herzegovina. These services will be free of charge and they may be made from any telephone deice, including all public telephone booths and e-dials devices.
The Ministry of Communications and Transport will provide the Proposal Law to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH for consideration under a shortened procedure.
ANSWERS TO EC QUESTIONNAIRE IN PROCESS OF TRANSLATION
The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of information of the Directorate for European Integrations on the current and future activities on preparation of answers to the European Commission Questionnaire.
The Council of Ministers was informed of the on-going translation process, while that more than 2,300 answers are ready available for translation. Other work groups are expected to finish the answers technical finalisation soon, finally approve and send them to the European Integrations Committee Secretariat.
TO SPEED-UP DIGITALISATION PROCESS
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, proposed by the Ministry of Communications and Transport on adoption of minimal technical requirements for DVB-TV receivers in Bosnia and Herzegovina, to the end of speeding-up digitalisation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
This for the realisation of obligations set forth under the supplement Strategy of transfer from analogue to digital earthy radio-diffusion, and for enabling up-grading of the equipment purchased, including a purchase of the of digitalisation phase II equipment. So, the digitalisation process would be finished in the shortest possible time for the benefit of public radio-diffusion services, commercial TV stations and all citizens of BIH.
Adopted was a report of the Ministry of Communications and Transport on realisation of the Digitalisation of Public Broadcasters in Bosnia and Herzegovina Project, which lists chronologically the activities and future steps for the speeding of the process, carried out in Bosnia and Herzegovina in compliance with international agreements.
The Project phase II is in the process, as a follow-up of the phase I, ending last October by the radio-diffusion digital signal emission.
REFORM AGENDA ACTION PLAN OBLIGATION FUFILLED: REGISTERS OF NON-TAXABLE PAYMNTS PUBLISHED
The Council of Ministers took note of information of the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office on decrease of taxes and contributions and para-fiscal fees and their harmonisation throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina.
According to information, registers were arranged and published of non-taxable fees in the Entities and Brčko District of BIH, as the first step in mapping the non-taxable receivables. This fulfilled an obligation form the reform Agenda Action Plan, and created preconditions for future decreases and harmonisation of non-taxable receivables, which are 3,000 at all levels in BIH.
HARMONISATION OF REGULATION WITH EU LEGISLATIVE
The Council of Ministers took a regulation on amendments to regulation on shopped meat, semi-products and meat products, proposed by the Food Security Agency of BIH, with an aim at harmonisation with the corresponding decree of the European Union in view of defining mechanically fleshed meat.
FOREIGNERS’ EMPLOYMENT
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, proposed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, to define annual quotas of work permits for employing foreigners in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2018, in accordance with the Law on Foreigners.
The total annual quota for the work permit extension and new employments in BIH for year 2018 is 1,590 work permits, of which in the Federation of BIH 900, in Republika Srpska 600 and in Brčko District of BH 90 work permits.
The quota for the extension of already issued work permits is 970 work permits. Also, the annual quota for new foreigners’ work permits in Bosnia and Herzegovina is 620, of which for the Federation of BIH 370, for Republika Srpska 200 and for the Brčko District 50 work permits.
IMPROVED CONTROL OF SPENDING OF FUNDS FROM PEMITS FOR INTENRATIONAL TRANSPORT OF PASSENGER AND GOODS
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to approve KM 200,000.00 from current reserves of the BIH Institutions and International obligations of BIH Budget for year 2017 to the Ministry of Communications and Transport.
The funds are intended for the improvement and up-grading of software for registering and control of issued permits for international transport of passengers and goods, in addition ot better control of spending of the funds collected, in accordance with the BIH Audit Office recommendation.
BIH’S SUCCESSFUL PARITIPCATION AT ERASMUS + PROGRAMME
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted information of the Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH on participation of BIH in the Erasmus + Programme, a part referring to education and youth, and took several conclusions obliging competent institutions in BIH to secure funds and human resources for further BIH participation in the EU Programme.
Information stresses that the BIH institutions should, over the next three years, withdraw more them EUR 2.2 million based on its participation within the Erasmus + Programme projects.
Upon a call, BIH Institutions take part in nine projects of total value of EUR 8,615,607.54, and will get EUR 2,761,185.00.
MORE CHILDREN IN PRE-SCHOOL INSTITUTIONS, LESS PUPILS AND STUDENTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted information of the Ministry of Civil Affairs on BIH education statistics.
According to information, in 331 preschool institutions (195 public and 136 private), in 2016/17 school year 24,842 children were enrolled, of which 491 children with special needs. Comparing with the year before, the number of pre-school institutions is higher for 4.4 per cent, and number of children attending increased for 8.5 per cent.
Over the reported period of time, in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1,840 primary schools, of which there are 49 special schools, enrolled were 287,694 pupils. Total 32,414 pupils were enrolled in the first form, or 890 pupils less than in 2015/16 school year, when 33.304 pupils were enrolled.
In 311 secondary schools in BIH total enrolled were 126,965 pupils, or less for 6,263 pupils or 4.7 per cent compared to the year before.
To the first cycle of high education, including the integrated studies, total 99,977 students were enrolled to the winder semester, with in the previous academic year enrolled were 105,299 students. Of that number, 89,847 students were enrolled to all years, and 10,130 were enrolled as graduates. In the same period o time, postgraduate, master and specialist studies were enrolled by 11,524 students, while doctor studies were enrolled by 823 students. Total 14,487 students graduated last academic year, or less for 1,487 students compared to the pervious academic year.
According to Entity statistic authorities, public costs for formal education in Republika Srpska in 2015 were KM 413,701 and in the Federation BIH KM 873,108,000.
TO ADOPT STRATEGIC PROFESSIONAL TRANINING DOCUMENT FOR REDICING UNEMPLYOMENT
The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina required the Ministry of Civil Affairs to take additional efforts, together with competent education authorities and other partners, in order to realise the recommendations from a meeting held in Sarajevo last year, and draft a strategic document to present a vision of vocational training development over the next ten years. It should eventually target unemployment, especially of young people.
The conclusion came as a result of the Ministry of Civil Affairs’ information on the progress in vocational training - Turin Process Review 2014-2016/17 for Bosnia and Herzegovina - adopted at today’s session. The European Union experts and ETF, at a conference with their partner countries, assessed that the BIH report is among the best ones.
The Council of Ministers of BIH invited all competent education authorities, who made a significant progress in vocational training to continue developing the area, focusing to building of quality, validation and recognition of both formal and informal learning in the context of different implementation of qualification framework for lifetime learning. Special priority is to the importance of harmonisation of the enrolment policy with needs of labour market in the area of vocational training.
AGREEMENT TO DEFINE OBLIGATIONS BETWEEN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS AND GOVERNMENT OF REPUBLIKA SRPSKA
The Council of Ministers of BIH requested the Chief Attorney’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina to launch negotiations, together with the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BIH, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations and BIH Legislation Office, with competent authorities of Republika Srpska, and prepare a text Agreement on mutual rights and obligations of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of Republika Sprska on undertaking costs of arbitrage procedure in a process before the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes in Washington (ICSID) upon a claim of “Elektrogospodarstvo Slovenia - Development and Engineering”) against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The agreed-to text Agreement should be provided by the Chief Attorney’s Office to the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the adoption.
This would ensure payment of advance sum worth USD 350,000.00 for the arbitrage process before the ICSID upon the claim of the “Elekrogospodarstvo Slovenija – Development and Engineering” against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
It is about a dispute worth KM 1,390,645,000.00 launched by the Elekrogospodarstvo Slovenija, referring to a 1981 Contract on Investment to Ugljevik Thermo-Power Plant.
TO INTENSIFY INSPECTION CONTROL OF SALT AT BIH MARKET
The Council of Ministers adopted a report on research of salt quality at Bosnia and Herzegovina market in 2017, and tasked the Food Safety Agency of BIH to send its recommendations to competent inspection authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina to intensify control of salt products tags at the market of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The re3port concludes that out of total 260 samples those 98 are proper and 162 divert from the existing regulations. The most often causes of deviations refer to incorrect product tags, iodine concentration and deviations as to organoleptic features (unusual elements and smell).
The research covered 260 samples of commercial packing at shopping and retail sale centres, equally throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina. All required salt brands at BIH market were sampled, and physical-chemical parameters analysed, such as: organoleptic features, contents of water, sodium-chloride, iodine, arsenic, copper, and reaction to 20% aqueous solution of litmus paper. Also inspected were means and date of iodine and expiry date declaration.
ACTIVITIES LAUNCHED FOR DRAFTING OF ECONOMIC REFORMS PROGRAMME
The final version of the 2018-2020 Economic Reforms Programme of Bosnia and Herzegovina will be completed by January next year, indicates the Action Plan for drafting the Programme, prepared by the Directorate for Economic Planning for the Council of Ministers of BIH.
The Action Plan includes a breakdown of holders of obligations and activities to be implemented within precisely set deadlines for the purpose of drafting as high quality and substantial as possible Economic Reforms Programme, like the ones to be submitted by the EU candidate countries.
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