Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 156th session

REPORT ON MIGRATION ADOPTED 

The Council of Ministers of BUH considered and adopted a piece of information on situation as regards migrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning an increased number of migrants to Bosnia and Herzegpvina, and tasked the Ministry of Security of BIH to monitor the situation and report regularly the migrant situation to Council of Ministers. The session also adopted a report on handing over the “Ušivak” military barracks in Hadćići.

The tightening of the state border with engagement of additional 150 policemen, as it was noted to the session, prevented and decreased illegal migrants’ entries to BIH. The Foreigners’ Affairs Service got registered 21.163 illegal migrants, of which 19.986 said they would apply for asylum, while 1.314 migrants applied for asylum. The most of migrants come from Pakistan (6.910), Iran (3.373), Syria (2.529), Afghanistan (2.431), Iraq (1.874), and Libya (760).

The Ministry of Interior of Republika Srpska will send to the BIH Border Police additional 40 police officers, to be deployed, in agreement with the Border Police, to the most critical parts of the Eastern border of BIH. About 500 migrants are already in the Unsko-Sanski Canton and will be soon accommodated in the “Bira” Company facilities, which will serve as the accommodation centre for migrants. The International Organisation for Migrations (IOM) will soon publish tenders to which the Mostar Red Cross may apply for needed funds.

According to information on migration in BIH, priorities of BIH in the area of migrations remain to be the further capacitating the BIH Border Police,  aiming better border control and prevention of illegal entries, strengthening of the Foreigners’ Affairs Service capacities and  Ministry of Security Migration Division, realisation of readmission agreements and up-grading readmission capacities, as well as strengthening of capacities in the area of asylum and intensification of combat against  smuggling of migrants.

The “Ušivak” military barracks near Sarajevo, sufficient accommodation of 400 migrants is in operation as at October 24, 2018.

 

STATE GUARANTEE FOR CORRIIDOR V c

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, upon proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, on issuing a state guarantee on a Loan Contract (Corridor V c in RS- Part I) between the Public Company “Highways of Republika Srpska”, Ltd. and European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, worth EUR 70 million.

The funds were intended for construction of the main route of the Corridor V c , sections from “Johovac” loop (Tovira) to “Rudanka” loop (Kostajnica).

The construction of the planned highway Banja Lula – Doboj enables linking of the European communication E 661 (Gradiška – Banja Luka – Mrkonjić Grad – Livno - Split) and Corridor V c (Šamac – Doboj – Zenica – Sarajevo – Mostar - Ploče).

All due and unpaid amounts under the Loan for which BIH pays from the Guarantee Fund, Bosnia and Herzegovina will collect from Republika Srpska, as per a Subsidiary Guarantee Contract, concluded this July.

 

BIH PUBLIC DEBT ABOUT KM 11.8 BILLION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted and will send to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly information by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury on public debt of Bosnia and Herzegovina as at June 30, 2018.

The public debt of Bosnia and Herzegovina as at June 30 this year was about KM 11.8 billion, of which the foreign debt was about KM 8.3 billion or 70%, while the domestic debt was about KM 3.5 billion or 29.4 % of total debt.

The public debt increased for KM 447.78 million or 3.94 %, compared to the end 2017, and in that the foreign debt increased for KM 475 million or 6.05%, while internal debt decreased for KM 27.22 million or 0.78 %.

In total BIH debt, the Federation of BIH participates with 50.2 %, Republika Srpska with 48.7%, BIH Institutions with 0.64%, and the Brčko District of BIH with 0.38% share.

The share of BIH public debt in gross domestic product is 34.92 per cent. More than a half of indebtedness based on new loans, 56.57%, relates to loans for infrastructure projects, 29.62 % to public sector, and 13.82 new credits refer to economic activities.

The foreign debt service in the first half of 2018 was KM 451.12 million, of which KM 388.95 accounted for principal amounts and KM 62.12 million for interest.

 

BIH ACCESSSES TO REVISED DOCUMENT ON MARITIME SAILORS ID DOCUMENTS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Platform for launching of procedure for accession to Amendments and Supplements to Annex Seafarers Identity Documents Convention (revised), No. 185 from 2003 of the International Labour Organisation.

It is about amendments and supplements to thee annexes to the Convention, which, among other things, refer to issuing of identity documents to seafarers, including quality control procedures.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs will provide the Proposal Platform to the BIH Presidency for further procedure.

 

ENABLING IMPROVED AND MORE COMPPETITIVE BUSINESS-MAKING OF BIH ECONOMIC ENTITIES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, on temporary suspension and temporary decrease of customs tariffs for import of certain goods, until Dec. 31, 2019, provided that the above decision takes effect on January 1, 2019. The decision will allow for more favourable and competitive business-making by economic entities form BIH.

The positive effects of the decision will be considerable for 40k workers in the textile, food, footwear, chemical, metal, and electro industries. It benefits the keeping of the existing and creating new jobs in BIH. For a large number of companies this decision is of a decisive relevance for the production survival.

The decision on temporary suspension and temporary decrease of customs tariffs for import of certain goods for 2019 includes 47 tariff marks, which is for five per cent more than in 2018 decision, covering 52 tariff marks.

 

BIH GENDER ACTION PLAN (GAP) FOR 2018-2022 ADOPTED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the 2018-2022 Gender Action Plan (GAP BIH), prepared by the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees.

This is the third document in this area, containing strategic aims, programmes and measures for reaching gender equality aims in all areas of social life and work.

The GAP BIH includes measures to be implemented for realisation of three strategic aims directed to development, implementation and monitoring of the programme of measures for improvement of gender equality in institutions by priority areas, as well as system development and strengthening, mechanisms and instruments for achieving gender equality, as well as for establishment of cooperation and partnerships.

The priority areas include prevention and suppression of gender-based violence, including domestic violence and human trafficking, in addition to labour, employment, access to economic resources, public life and decision-making, and further strengthening of cooperation at regional and international level.

The adoption of the Gender Action Plan is the obligation of Bosnia and Herzegovina stemming from both domestic documents and international obligations taken by ratification of conventions in the area of gender equality.

 

CONTINUED COOPERATION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on accepting Amendments and Supplements to the International Financial Corporation Articles of Agreement, together with a decision on increase of votes and participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the International Financial Corporation (IFC) and on increase of capital capacity.

The session also took a decision on increase of votes and participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRS) and on increase of capital capacity.

This way the amount of BIH shares in the IFC will increase from the current 0.03 to 0.03 per cent, which corresponds to 0.06 per cent of votes, or for one percent relative to the current position. Simultaneously the amount of BIH shares in the IBRD will increase from the current 0.03 to 0.04 per cent, which corresponds to 0.06 of total votes.

The endorsement of additional capitalisation in IBRD and IFC is the continuation of successful cooperation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the World Bank, which is expected to have positive effects to future funds allocation and the volume of borrowings under favourable conditions, especially for projects to contribute to improvement of economic growth and reduction of poverty.

 

PERMANENT ACCOMMODATION OF DIPLOMATIC-CUNSULAR OFFICES IN MONTENEGRO

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, on approving of a multi-year capital project: Purchase, adaptation and furbishing of facilities for diplomatic-consular representation office of Bosnia and Herzegovina in Montenegro – Podgorica, of total value of KM 1.5 million. He project will be financed from funds paid based on a decision on sales of residence facility of the ex-SFRY representative in UN in New York.

 

SUPPORT TO PROJECTS OF PREVENTION OF VIOLENCE AGAISNT WOMEN AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, on allocation of grant funds to NGOs from the “Up-Grading Capacity of Institutions for Dealing with Gender-Based Violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina” Project.

The total funds in amount of KM 160.000.00 were secured from donor sources based on an agreement on grant funds for development aims between the US Government, represented by USAID, and Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees, for the sake of more functional and accountable institutions and stake-holders working in the interest of citizens.

The funds beneficiaries are nine associations from all BIH, the projects of which were chosen via public call.

The Council of Ministers of BIH, in cooperation with US Government, support the NGOs dealing with prevention of violence against women and domestic violence and victim protection.

The grant funds beneficiaries are obliged to report to the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees the spending of funds within 21 days upon the completion of the project.

 

BIH ARMED FORCES PARTICIPATION ABROAD CONTINUES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of the Plan of Training and Exercises of the BIH Armed Forces members abroad in 2019, which will be presented by the Ministry of Defence to the BIH Presidency and BIH Parliamentarian Assembly.

The BIH Armed Forces will take part in 13 exercises in 2019, among which seven will be held within an Individual Partner Cooperation Programme (IPCP) and Individual Partner Action Plan (IPAP).

 

ECONOMIC GROWTH CONTINUES

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of information by the Directorate for Economic Planning on macro-economic indices for January-July 2018, which suggests that the economic growth from Q 1 continued through Q2, including July 2018.

The growth trend of industrial production continued for over 3 per cent, with an increase of employees for about two per cent, indicating the continued growth trend of economic activity in BIH. Also continued was the growth of retail sale of 7.3 per cent, loan placement to natural persons of 7.2 per cent and VAT net revenue of 8.4 per cent, indicating to growth of individual spending in BIH, which has the major share in GDP structure.

On the other side, the two-digit investment grew from Q1 2018, with 5.3 per cent loan growth in the sector of non-financial companies, increase of import of capital products for about 11 per cent, and issued civil construction permits to citizens for more than 1.0 per cent, shows the continued investment growth trend in BIH.

 

AIMS FULFILEMENT FROM RAP1 STRATEGY OF PUBLIC ADMINSITRATION REFORM INCREASED FOR THREE PER CENT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Semi-Annual Progress  Report (monitoring of Revised Action Plan I – RAP1) within the January-June 2018 Rap1 Strategy of Public Administration Reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina, prepared by the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office.

According to the report, the fulfilment of RAP1 aims increased for three per cent, and in June it was 75 per cent, relative to 72 per cent in 2017. The major progress in the fulfilment of reform aims of three per cent in the first half of year was made in the Federation of BIH and Brčko District of BIH, while at the state level and in Republika Srpska the progress made was 2 per cent.

Viewed generally, the aims achieving of 80 per cent was made in Republika Srpska, followed by the State level with 75 per cent progress, Federation of BIH with 71 per cent progress, while the Brčko District of BIH achieved 70 per cent of RAP1 aims.

The most of aims, viewed by reform areas from the Revised Action Plan 1 was made in the area of public finances (83 %), while e-government is still the area with the slightest aim realisation, with only 60 per cent.

 

REGUALTIONS AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS FOR BETTER CONSUMER PROTECTION

 

The Council of Ministers took a regulation on amendments and supplements of Regulation on highest allowed quantities of certain contaminants in food, proposed by the Food Safety Agency of BIH, in order to secure a high level of consumer health and interest protection.

The amendments and supplements to Regulation are in the interest of the producer protection, because by obeying to regulations harmonised with the EU and international standards their competitiveness will grow.

The regulation took up certain provisions from several Commission provisions (EU) 1015/1137, 2017/1237, and 1018/290 in respect of the highest allowed quantity of oratoxine A in spices Capscicum spp, hydrogen cyanide acid in non-processed core of apricot, glycidyl ester of fatty acids in vegetable oils and fat, home and transitional food for babies, as well as in food for special medical needs for babies.

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