Minister Špirić Talks with Head of Council of Europe BIH Office



Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers od BIH and Minister of Finance and Treasury Nikola Špirić talked today with Head of Office of the Council of Europe in BIH Mary Ann Hennessey.

Main topics of the meeting were the measured to be taken by the Council of Europe Experts Committee on Prevention of Money Laundry and Financing Terrorism - Moneyval -  as BIH found itself in a default by failing to adopt the Law on Prevention of Money Laundry and Financing of Terrorist Activities, and to supplement the BIH Criminal Code,  both of which pieces of legislation were disapproved in the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH last November.

Hennessey informed Minister Špirić that the Moneyval will be in session on March 30, when the final position of the Committee about possible measures to be taken against BIH will be known.

Minister Špirić stressed that a search for a guilty party would not help in such a situation, but rather solutions to lead to the adoption of a high-quality piece of legislation for the benefit of all, which necessitates intensifying discussion among stakeholders.

“Transposing of European standards into domestic legislation is important for all-level authorities in BIH, for which reason all should be involved into the process. It should not pose a problem that Republika Srpska representatives want to be a part of the process, including a part of decision-making forum. Rather, a lack of such interest would be a problem, so I am confident that there is enough room for problem-solving though proactive participation of all concerned in BIH and the Council of Europe”, Špirić said.

The meeting agreed that the remaining time should be used for a constructive dialogue to yield a solution.

Minister Špirić turned to a coordinating role of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BIH in the process of establishment of cross-border money transfer control, which is one of recommendations of the Moneyval, adding that such process will involve  Entity and Brčko District Governments, as well as the competent institution – the Indirect Taxation Administration of BIH.

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