Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 137th Session

BETTER PROTECTION TO DEPONENTS 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Deposit Insurance in Banks of Bosnia and Herzegovina, proposed by the Deposit Insurance Agency Steering Board, comprised of State and Entity-level Finance Ministers and Governor of the Central Bank of BIH. This is one within a asset of reform laws which improve financial stability in Bosnia nad Herzegovina, simultaneously strengthening transparency and harmonising the law with relevant European Union directives.

The new aw enables better protection of deponents on bank transformation in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and introduces a possibility of bank restructuring. It was set forth for banks acquiring certificate for work from the Entity agencies for banking to automatically enter the process of deposit insurance.

The Proposal Law will be sent to the Parliamentarian Assembly for consideration under shortened procedure.

 

CoM SECURES EUR 11 MILLION FOR BRATUNAC – LJUBOVIJA BORDER CROSSING, ITA GETS RIGHT TO CONSTRUCT

 

The Council of Ministers granted its consent to the Indirect Taxation Administration of BIH to sign a Contract on Right to Build with the Government of Republika Srpska, for the purpose of construction of the Bratunac – Ljubovija Border crossing, with an obligation to provide the complete accompanying documentation to the Council of Ministers of BIH.

Under the contract the Indirect taxation Administration get the right to build without compensation at the Bratunac - Ljubovija border crossing between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Serbia. This solved oen of relevant issues for the continuation of realisation of the projects which enjoys unconditional support by the Council of Ministers of BIH from the first beginning.

This is supported by the fact that the Council of Ministers of BIH secured EUR 11 million for construction of this border crossing, with a prior signing with the Government of the Republic of Serbia an Agreement on Construction of inter-state bridge over the Drina River, with accompanying road facilities at Bratunac-Ljubovija site.

The Council of Ministers of BIH again shows it dedication to fully implement agreements on border crossings and border-crossing traffic with the Republic of Serbia and the Ministry of Security will ask again from the competent authorities of the Republic of Serbia  to appoint representatives into a joint committee for the agreements implementation.

 

EUR 100 MILLION SECURED FOR CONSTRUCTION OF CORRIDOR V c MOSTAR SOUTH SECTION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Financial Contract (Corridor V c Mostar South) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Investment Bank (EIB), worth EUR 100 million.

The funds are intended for construction of a new section of motorway, long 20.9 km, including three sub-sections, namely Buna – Počitelj, Kvanj Tunel – Buna, and Mostar South – Kvanj Tunnel.

The new road is in hte Herczegovina-Neretva Canton and is  apart of the Pan-Euroepan Corridor V c, linking Hungary and Eastern Croatia with BIH and the Adriatic Sea at the Ploče Port area.

The loan is allocated to the federation of BIH, with 25-year term, including six-year grace period.

The Project total costs are estimated at EUR 227 million, of which the EIB loan is EUR 100 million, EBDR loan EUR 60 million, WBIF investment grant EUR 39 million, and Promoter’s own funds (Federation of BIH and Public Company Motorways of FBIH) EUR 28 million.

The Proposal Agreement, with Platform for its conclusion will be provided to the BIH presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury was proposed for the BIH signatory.

 

IMPROVEMENT OF COOEPRATION ON BORDERS AMONG BIH, MONTENEGRO AND SERBIA

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined Proposal Basics for negotiations and conclusion of a Protocol on demarking a three-border divisive point between Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and the Republic of Serbia.

The joint three-border point  is the border point of cadastre municipalities of Sočiće (Republic of Serbia), Poblaće (Montenegro), and Đakovići (Bosnia and Herzegovina), situated at Zelena Glava location, where an appropriate three-border mark will be put.

Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro earlier signed a Contract on State Border, while Contract on Border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Serbia has not been signed.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs will provide the Proposal Basics to the BIH Presidency, and the chairman of hte State Committee for Border was proposed for the BIH signatory.

 

LAST YEAR’S EXPORT EXCEEDS KM 11 BILLION AND IS INCREASED FOR 17%

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, an analysis of foreign trade exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina for year 2017, which indicates that the export is higher than KM 11 billion and is increased for 17 % relative to the year before.

The total volume of the foreign trade exchange was KM 29.19 billion and is increased for 14% relative to the year before. Also increased is the import of goods for 12 per cent is KM 18.13 billion. The coverage of import by export increased for three per cent, relative to the year before and now it stands at 61 per cent.

Viewed by geographical structure, the European Union is still the main foreign trade partner and in total volume of goods exchange it participates with 65 %, followed by the “CEFTA 2006” Agreement countries-signatories with 14 per cent. The export to the EU is made accounts for 71 per cent of total BIH export, while import form the EU countries accounts for 61 per cent of total BIH import. A drop of trade deficit floor two per cent was reported in the reported period of time.

The export to the CEFTA countries participates with 16 per cent in the total BIH export, and import with 13 per cent of total BIH import. The year 2017 marked a growth of total goods exchange with CEFTA of 19 per cent relative to the year before, on which the export grew for 28 per cent, and import grew for 12 per cent, followed by a fall of trade deficit for 22 per cent.

For the major trade partners, Bosnia and Herzegovina had the most significant coverage of import by expert with Austria (145 %), Slovenia (107%), Germany (76%), Croatia (70 %), Italy (59 %), Turkey (56%), and Serbia (56%).

Last year, BIH exported mostly to Germany, Croatia, Italy, Serbia, Slovenia, Austria, Turkey, and Montenegro. Simultaneously, the major import BIH made from Germany, Italy, Serbia, Croatia, China, Slovenia, Russia, and Turkey.

Our country exported mainly seats, electric power, processed wood, row aluminium and furniture. BIH last year imported mostly oil derivates, personal cars, row oil, stone coal and briquettes.

 

CRITERIA FOR ALLOCATION OF KM 350,000 GRANT BY MINISTRY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS NAD REFUGEES

 

The Council of Ministers took a decision on criteria for allocation of total KM 350,000.00 grant funds of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of Bosnia and Herzegovina for year 2018.

The sum of Km 60,000.00 was intended to non-government organisations included into human trafficking victim protection, KM 40,000.00 was allocated for support to organisations of disabled persons, KM 150,000.00 to national minorities associations, and KM 50,000.00 grant to each associations of families of missing persons in BIH and human rights organisations for the human rights promotion in our country.

The grant funds will be allocated by way of a public call, which will be published at hte Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees web site and in three daily papers, with circulation throughout BIH.

 

TO APPOINT MEMBERS OF APPELLATION COMMITTEE

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry of Justice of BIH to prepare and provide a proposal list of members and deputy members of the Appellation Committee under the Council of Ministers of BIH for the next session, as the previous membership terminated their mandate.

Earlier, the Council of Ministers of BIH, was notified by the Ministry of Security of the incapacity of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to make decisions upon claims, due to the termination of mandate of members of the Appellation Committee under the Council of Ministers of BIH.

 

IMPLEMENTATION OF REMAINING GRECO RECOMMENDATIONS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Security on drafting a report on measures taken for implementation of the remaining GRECO recommendations, to be provided to the GRECO Secretariat.

The report includes information by competent institutions from different authority levels in BIH on progress achieved in the areas of criminal and election legislation.

 

MIGRANT CRISIS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of information by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning a conclusion of the Council of Ministers of BIH made at its 23^rd session, held of September 15, 2015 on the global migrant crisis.

It is a regular information on positions of the key European Union institutions concerning he migrant crisis.

A comprehensive information should be tabled to the Council fo Ministers of BIH soon on migrant crisis and increased number of illegal migrant entries to in BIH, which will be prepared by the Ministry of Security, in cooperation with the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees and other competent institutions. Information will contain proposal measures which will be implemented in a short period of time by competent institutions in our country so as to limit illegal permeability of borders and secure humane accommodation of refugees.

 

MORE THAN EUR HALF MILLION WITHDROWN LAST YEAR FROM “CREATIVE EUROPE” PROGRAMME

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European Union “Creative Europe” Programme, with proposal activities for the increase of successfulness.

Entities from our country withdrew last year EUR 510,422,55 from the EU “Creative Europe” Programme “Media” and “Culture” Sub-Programmes, while BIH in 2017 allocated EUR 51,250.00 from its budget for co-financing of hte “entry card”, in addition to EUR 50,000.00 for the Coordination Desk operations.

By the end last October, six BIH legal entities under the “Media” Sub-Programme withdrew EUR 277,000.00 through four open calls, and eight legal entities withdrew EUR 233,422.55 from the “Culture” Sub-Programme within two programme lines.

From the accession of BIH to the “Media” Sub-Programme, total withdrawn is EUR 1,470,312.00.

The ministry of civil Affairs of BIH will coordinate co-financing of projects approved within the “Creative Europe” Programme, together with the Entity, Cantonal and Brčko District Ministries of Culture. This Ministry will also coordinate continued education to the end of better successfulness of domestic institutions and organisation in he EU Programme, thereby more success in getting resources form these funds.

 

PROGRESS MADE IN RELAISATION OF BHATM STRATEGY

 

The Council of Ministers adopted Information of the Ministry of Communications and Transport on progress achieved in the realisation of the Air Navigation Management Strategy (BHATM), which suggests the majority of aims set was implemented.

Minister of Transport and Communications Ismir Jusko informed the Council of Ministers of BIH that activities got intensified for taking over a full control over the BIH skies, and that a group of BIH air control  staff completed training for the tasks.

 

TO ADOPT PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM STRATEGY IN 30 DAYS AT LATEST

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office to complete development of proposal strategic framework for the 2017-2022 public administration reform within 30-day deadline, and provide it to the Council of Ministers fo BIH for adoption, with previously obtained opinions by competent bodies.

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