Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds its 121st Session

BIH AND TURKEY TO PROMOTE PASSENGER AND CARGO ROAD TRANSPORT 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Turkey on international passenger and cargo road transport, aimed at enhancement of trade and economic relations between two states, along with promotion of passenger and cargo road transport.

The Agreement will apply to operators in international road transport of passengers and cargo between BIH and Turkey and in transit to and from third countries.

Competent implementation authorities for the Agreement are the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BIH and Ministry of Transport, Maritime Affairs and Communications of the Republic of Turkey.

The Ministry of Transport and Communications will provide the Proposal Agreement with a report on its preparation process to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Transport and Communications was proposed as the BIH signatory.

 

KM 4.9 MILLION WORTH JAPANESE GRANT TO BIH

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on disbursement of grant funds of the Government of Japan, extended to Bosnia and Herzegovina under an Agreement on Exchange of Notes between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of Japan, of February 26, 2014.

The Japanese grant worth KM 4.6 million (YJPY 300,000.00) is intended for procurement of needed equipment for monitoring meteorological changes and medical equipment for protection from adverse weather conditions. Grant beneficiaries are the State-level Ministries of Communications and Transport; Security; Foreign Trade and Economic Relations; and of Civil Affairs.

 

OVER 80 GENDER EQUALITY RECOMMENDATIONS IN BIH

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a report of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees on gender equality in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2012-2014. The report breaks down developments in the area and defines over 80 recommendations for the improvement of gender equality.

The report recommends, among other things, necessary efficient family violence victim protection system, for all cases of family violence and sexual violence against women and girls to be effectively investigated, perpetrators tried and appropriately sentenced.

Also, a very low representation of women in parliaments and at decision-making positions in executive authorities was noted, so an effective implementation of gender equality legislation needs to be secured, in order to increase number of women at managerial posts with executive authorities and public administration, while a special emphasis should be placed at promotion of increased representation of Roma women at managerial posts.

In areas of labour, employment and access to economic reforms, adoption of provisional special measures is recommended, aimed to achieve de facto equal opportunities for women and men at labour markets, this including vulnerable women and promotion of female entrepreneurship.

Strengthening of institutional cooperation at regional and international levels are among recommendations, together with continued cooperation and coordination with NGOs (media, social partners, academies) for the purpose of implementation of joint projects for awareness rising on gender equality.

 

 

TO CONINUE WATER SAFETY MONITORING IN FLOOD-AFFECTED AERAS

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a report of the Food Safety Agency of BIH on implemented Health Safety Monitoring Plan for water and food/water and food for animals in flood-affected areas in BIH during 2014.The plan was implemented for the reason of a comprehensive overview of situation as to traces of pesticides, metals, nitrate and nitrite in drinking water, micro-toxins in food for animals and in milk, and of traces of pesticides in and on food of both herbal and animal origin in the areas in Bosnia and Herzegovina previously affected by heavy rainfalls.

A conclusion was that all Plan implementation activities were carried out in compliance with relevant legal regulations, and all-level competent authorities and inspectorates in BIH were recommended to follow-up risk-assessment based guidelines of the Food Safety Agency of BIH.

Relevant inspection bodies at all levels in BIH were recommended to continue their long-term implementation of food safety-specific laws and regulations, adopted by the Council of Ministers of BIH, for the insight of food safety levels of human and animal food imported, produced or otherwise placed at BIH market, for the purpose of health protection in BIH.

The Food Safety Agency of BIH is tasked to take-up continually - in cooperation with the competent Entity and Brčko District institutions - planning, preparation and implementation activities under the Health Safety Monitoring Plan for water and food/water and food for animals in BIH.

Competent food safety, veterinary and public health institutions at all levels in BIH are recommended a long term budgeting of resources needed for realisation of food-safety related monitoring and control plans, subject to applicable laws and regulations.

The Food Safety Agency of BIH is tasked to continue active coordination with the competent Entity and Brčko District authorities, aimed to improve the overall food safety system, in order to protect life and health of people and to secure smooth functioning of internal BIH market. Relevant activities should be reported to the Council of Ministers of BIH.

 

REALISATION OF PARLIAMENT CONCLUSIONS ON FREEDOM OF MEDIA

The Council of Ministers of BIH got informed of conclusions of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH from the 3^rd session, of January 15, 2015, following a debate on “Pressure on freedom of information and freedom of media in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with special focus on police raid and blockage of Klix.ba portal office”, initiated by Denis Bečirović, MP.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BIH is tasked to collect data from competent State, Entity and Cantonal institutions and to prepare concise information on pressures and intimidation against media in BIH for the Council of Ministers.

 

IMPLEMENTATION OF UN “WOMEN, PEACE AND SECUIRITY” CONVENTION

Upon a proposal of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, the Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to appoint members into a Coordination Board for Supervision of Implementation of UNSCR 1325 in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2015-2017. The UN “Women, Peace and Security” Convention targets gender equality in security and defence sectors in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The 25-member Coordination Board includes representatives from relevant State and Entity institutions, gender centres, NGOs, and will be chaired by Samra Filipović-Hadžiabdić from Gender Equality Agency of BIH, under the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

 

ROMA POPULATION BOARD TO REVISE BIH ROMA POPULATION STATEGY IN 2015

Upon a proposal of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, the Council of Ministers of BIH adopted 2014 Activity Report of the Board for Roma Population under the Council of Ministers of BIH.

The Council of Ministers Board for Roma Population will provide support, subject to the report and approved funds, to state institutions during the BIH Presidency of the Decade of Roma Inclusion Steering Board, in January-June 2015, which will cover monitoring of activities defined under a Revised Action Plan for Roma Population Issues in Education, Employment, Housing and Health Care.

Also, the Board for Roma Population will start a revision of BIH Strategy for Roma Population Issues, planned for 2015.

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