Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina holds Its 31st Session

ALL EOCONMIC INDICATORS IN BIHGROW IN FIRST EIGHT MONTHS 

The Council of Ministers of BIH noted Information of the Directorate for Economic Planning on macroeconomic trends in January-August 2015, suggesting at a growth of all economic indicators in BIH.

A posit growth trend continued in industry, so August saw a 7.2 per cent increase of physical volume of industrial production relative to the same month last year The most notable contribution to overall growth of industrial production was made in processing industry, mainly export-oriented, where production marks an increase of 10.5 per cent in relation to August 2014.

The foreign exchange deficit of goods this August was decreased in value for 9.1 per cent in relation to July-August 2014. This decrease of deficit came as a result of export growth of 6.5 per cent, on one side, and decrease of import for 1.1 per cent, on the other side. A slight VAT revenue increase, according to tax returns, and a strong retail sale real increase of 8 per cent annually point at a growth of final expenditure. The employment numbers in July was 714.000, as increased for 1.6 per cent in relation to the same month the year before.

A deposit growth of 5.2 per cent continued in August 2015, so that total deposits reached KM 16 billion.

 

SUPPORT TO MINISTRY OF DEFENCE IN MAP ACTIVATION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information of the Ministry of Defence on progressed fulfilment of obligations assumed within the Bosnia and Herzegovina MAP activation process.

The Council of Ministers of BIH gave its support to the Ministry of Defence, which in cooperation with other competent institutions, leads the process of registration of perspective military property as real estate of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Ministry of Defence of BIH started the process of registration of 63 perspective military locations. Total 22 locations were registered as the property of State of Bosnia and Herzegovina by this November, while additional 20 locations are currently in the process of registration. Administrative-technical procedure will be dealt with simultaneously concerning a certain number of locations.

The Ministry of Defence made notable progress in relation to a year before in the process of issue-solving of surplus armament and ammunition of the Armed Forces of BIH.

This year, the Armed Forces of BIH took part in six international exercises, with participation of total 63 its members, while activities are ongoing for preparation of REGEX 16 international exercise in 2016, to be hosted by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

 

CONSIDERABLE PROGRESS MADE IN PROTECTION OF DOMESTIC AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

 

The Council of Ministers of adopted Information of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations on undertaken eight key measures for improvement of conditions of foreign trade operations and protection od domestic production in agriculture and food-processing industry.

Information indicates, among other things, that the existing level and customs and quantitative protection of domestic agricultural and processed agricultural products was preserved, which is an integral part of  the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement between BIH, on one side, and the European Commission, on behalf of 27 member-countries, on the other side, signed in 2008. Approvals were also obtained for export of potato, milk and dairy products to the EU, in addition to a long-term expert of beef to the Republic of Turkey market, basics were set for regional cooperation, and for investments and trade with the People’s Republic of China in agriculture and rural development, the issue of use of non-customs quotas was regulated, burden to exporters of agricultural products was decreased, and agricultural production facilitation was adopted in terms of use of “blue diesel”.

A top priority of the current Council of Ministers and Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is measure-taking for improvement of conditions of foreign trade operations in agricultural sector and protection of domestic production, since BIH marks a constant negative foreign exchange balance concerning agricultural products both with the European Union and CEFTA Agreement countries.

 

WORK GROUP FORMED FOR HARMONSIATION OF LAW ON FATF AND MONEYVAL RECOMMENDATIONS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a Decision to set-up a work group for development of a Draft Law on Amendments and Supplement sot the Law on prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of terrorism.

The work group will be comprised of representatives of State-level Ministries of Security and Justice, State Agency for Investigations and Protection, Prosecutor’s Office of BIH, Directorate for European Integration, Entity Ministries of Interior and Police of the Brčko District of BIH and Entity-level banking agencies.

The work group will prepare a Draft Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on prevention of Money Laundering and Terrorism, in accordance with the Action Plan for removal of deficiencies in fight against money laundering and financing of terrorism and aligning it with standards and recommendations of the Financial Action Task Force and MONEYVAL recommendation from its last round of evaluation.

 

EXPECTED NEXT YEAR’S INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION GROWTH IN BIH FOR FOUR PER CENT

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of Information of the Directorate for Economic Planning on prospects 2016-2018, pointing at both expected economic growth of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s partners and BIH internal reforms resulting in BIH economic growth increase for 3.1 per cent in 2016.

The 2017-2018 period of time is expected to bring further gradual strengthening of BIH economic growth, on the grounds of increasingly favourable external surrounding, as well as on account of planned reform implementation. So, for 2017 a projected growth is 3.2 per cent to be followed by gradual acceleration to 4.1 per cent growth rate in 2018.

Expected gradual employment increase along with increase of real salaries would be driven by growth of production and export, as well as of current inflows from abroad and FDIs. Assuming continued positive trend in the surrounding and with additional internal contribution in the course of 2016, a solid growth of industrial production might be expected to reach about four per cent. Under DEP projections, this should result in an annual increase of BIH industrial production of over five per cent in relation to the year before.

 

CERTIFICATES INSTEAD OF STICKERS FOR REGISTRATION

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of Information of the Identification Documents, Evidence and Data Exchange Agency on possible problems concerning supplying internal and external stickers, as one among documents in the process of motor vehicles registration.

The Agency evaluates that we could run out of stickers next January due to very long appeal procedure conducted by the Appellation Office of BIH.

For the purpose of timely issue-solving, the Council of Ministers tasked the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BIH to prepare and provide to the Council of Ministers a proposal legislation amendments to set forth replacing certificate issuance instead of stickers until the finalisation of a stickers procurement process.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport, Ministry of Civil Affairs and Identification Documents, Evidence and Data Exchange Agency will prepare and provide to the Council of Ministers an analysis on possibilities to introduce electronic  monitoring of registered vehicles and permanent abolishing of stickers,

The BIH Appellation Office was instructed to comply with set deadlines for appeals processing, in accordance with the Law on Public Procurement, as an appeal procedure in connection with procurement of internal and external stickers, as one of documents needed in the motor vehicles registration process, before the Appellation Office of BIH last for over a year.

 

TO CONTINUE STUDENT PRACTICE IN DEI

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted Information on realisation of a Memorandum on Cooperation with Faculties of Philosophy in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and tasked the Directorate for European Integrations to continue developing and promoting cooperation with the faculties in BIH, in accordance with its competences.

One among priorities within the cooperation is a practical work of students of final years of Anglistics in the Directorate for European Integrations, Thus far, 33 students of faculties of philosophy/philology in BIH carried out their one week long practice in two cycles in the Directorate for European Integrations, and such activities will be continued.

 

COUNCIL FOR SPORTS APPOINTED – NO REIMBURSEMENT OT CIVIL SERVANTS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, on a proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, to appoint a Council for Sports of Bosnia and Herzegovina and to set the level of reimbursement.

The Council for Sports, to which representatives of Entity Ministries of Sports and sector department of the Brčko District of BIH, and Olympic and Paralympic Committees of BIH and Ministry of Civil Affairs is appointed for a term of four years.

The Council for Sports reports to the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to which it has an obligation to submit reports semi-annually.

Members of the Council for Sports not employed with administration at any level of authorities in BIH, are entitled to one-time annual reimbursement in amount of two average net salaries paid in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and such reimbursement will be paid after the Council of Ministers adopts a report of the Council for Sports.

The council for Sports would be responsible, among other things, for issuing its opinion on Strategy for Sports Development in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Sports Development Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as opinions to annual plans and financicial needs for sports.

 

APPOINTED STATE OCMMITTEE FOR COOPRATION WITH UNESCO – NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR CIVIL SERVANTS

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH rook a decision, on a proposal of the Ministry of Civil Affairs to appoint members of the State committee for Cooperation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) and level of reimbursement, due to expiry of mandate of the previous Committee members.

Chairman of the 19-member Committee is Minister of Civil Affairs Adil Osmanović.

The council of Ministers of BIH amended earlier decision on reimbursements, so that the right to one-time annual reimbursement in amount of two average net salaries in Bosnia and Herzegovina will only be for Committee members  not employed with administration at all  authority levels in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and such reimbursement will be paid after the Council of Ministers of BIH adopts an activity  report of the State Committee.

 

APPELLATION COMMITTEE MEMBERS APPOINTED

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a resolution, on a proposal of the Ministry of Justice, on appointment of Members and Deputy Members of the Appellation Committee under the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, after the expiry of mandate of previous Committee members.

Members of the Appellation committee are now: Aleksandar Gutalj, Chairman; Goran Krtalić and Nedžan Salman, Members; while Tatjana Bambarez, Robert Vidović and Edin Kucuković are Deputy Members.

The Appellation Committee, formed in 2007, allows for two degrees appellation procedure on appeals against decisions of first-degree bodies of the Council of Ministers of BIH.

(end)