Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 108th Session

INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS: TO PREVENT MISUSE CONNECTED TO FINANCING TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Hercegovina took the Ministry of Justice-proposed Instruction on application of targeted and proportional measures towards risky non-profit organisations, for the aim of prevention of misuse of non-profit organisations for financing of terrorist activities, in accordance with relevant MONEYVAL recommendations.

The Instructions prescribe measures to be taken by competent bodies towards risky non-profit organisations to prevent misuse of these for financing of terrorist activities.

The Proposal Instruction is based on the Law on Prevention of Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorist Activities, harmonised with the secondary EU legislation, and corrected following relevant FATF recommendation from the Standing Coordination Body, taking care of a risk-based approach, measures proportionality and a need for protection of legitimate activities of non-profit organisations.

All public bodies are responsible for implementation of the Instruction as per their competences at all levels of authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

EU STANDARDS: CENTRAL PORTAL OF PUBIC INFORAMTION AND OPEN DATA AT BIH INSTITUTIONS LEVEL

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a Rulebook on Central Portal of Public Information and Open Data at the level of Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, thus implementing the policy of pro-active transparency and acceptance of global and European standards on the European road.

According to the Rulebook, drafted and proposed by the Secretariat-general of the Council of Ministers of BIH, the Portal represents a single digital spot for proactive publication of information and reuse thereof in machine readable and open form. The value of open data is in the fact than once collected and published; public data may be used indefinite times for various purposes.

Setting up the Central portal will enable interested parties (individuals, media, economy, scientists …) a simple and permanent access to information of public relevance and to group of open data and their free reuse, which increases transparency, enables better public administration service and creates an added social and economic value.

The establishment of the Central Portal of public information and open data was defined under the Law in Free Access to Information at BIH Institutions level.

HEATH PROTECTION: SUPPLEMENTED LIST OF NARCOTICS

The Council of Ministers of BIH took nomo-technical corrections along with a Decision on Supplements to a List of narcotics, psychotropic matters, herbs for production of narcotics and precursors, proposed by the Ministry of Security, for the aim of putting new drags on the list of matters under control of state institutions.

Practically, it up-dates the List, considering continuous and growing circulation of new psychoactive matters, because of which it is very important for the normative framework of Bosnia and Herzegovina to remain up-dated and aligned with international stand

This disables threatening to citizens’’ health and increases security in BIH.

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Decision following consultations with a Committee for Suppression of Drugs Misuse of Bih and Agency for Medicines and Medical Appliances of BIH, taking care of mechanisms established under international convention on drugs control.

CONTINUED BIH – EU DIALOGUE ON ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL THEMES

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information on holding of the nineth meeting of Economic and Financial Sub-Committee between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina, scheduled to take place in Sarajevo, on May 20, 2026.

At the meeting, arranged within framework of the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement, BIH and EU delegations will discuss deepening of reforms in fiscal policy and financial stability of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The agenda includes relations with IFIs, internal financial control in public sector, external audit and cooperation in statistics.

The Council of Ministers Directorate for European Integrations, in cooperation with responsible state-level institutions will take all needed actions for holding of the meeting, and the Ministry of Finance and Treasury’s Vera Letica, chair of BIH delegation, will be available for media inquiries as to the meeting.

The chair of BIH delegation is responsible to emphasise at the meeting the position of the Council of Ministers of BIH concerning urgency of solving the issue of restricted stay of drivers from BIH in the EU.

GRANT FOR SUSTAINABLE WASTE MANAGEMENT IN FBIH

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Grant Agreement – Roof Multidonor Creditor Fund of Global Partnership for Result Based Approaches (Sustainable Waste Management Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)/International Development Association (IDA) (administrator of Roof Multidonor Credito Fund of Global Partnership for Result Based Approaches).

The USD 1,560,000 grant for co-financing if the Sustainable Waste Management Project is intended for improved service provision of solid waste management in included cantons and municipalities in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The grant funds project component – Performance Based Grants.

The federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina is the project implementor through the Federal Ministry of Environment and Tourism, with technical support by the included cantons, municipalities or public utility companies.

The proposal Agreement, with Platform for its conclusion, will be sent to BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury will act as the BIH signatory thereof.

IMPROVEMENT OF GEOSPATIAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND REAL ESTATE EVALUATION

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Loan Agreement (Additional Financing for Improvement of Geospatial Infrastructure and Real Estate Evaluation) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), worth USD 35,200,000.

The project is directed to improvement of accuracy and availability of data on land administration in Bosnia and Herzegovina, including several components among which here are development of infrastructure of geospatial data in Republika Srpska, setting-up register of buildings and development of a central archives in Republika Srpska with IT infrastructure for digital archiving of land records, in line with the EU standards.

The loan is allocated to Republika Srpska, with the project closing date January 30, 2032.

The Proposal Agreement with Platform for its conclusion will be sent to BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury will be the BIH signatory thereof.

ADDITIONAL IBRD LOAN FOR HEALTH SYSTEM IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Initiative by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury and designated a negotiating delegation for conclusion of a Loan Agreement (Additional Financing of Health Systems Improvement Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD).

It is a continued financing of earlier agreed project for health services and financial stability improvement of Republika Srpska health system, including co-financing of reconstruction, development and furbishing of four psychiatric hospitals by an additional loan of EUR 45,000,000.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will, following completed negotiations, provide a Draft Agreement to the Council of Ministers of BIH, with Platform for its conclusion, in accordance with the Law on Borrowing, Debt and Guarantees of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

IMPROVED FUNCTIONALITY AND SECURITY OF E-GOVERNMENT

A Report on e-Government situation in the Council of Ministers of BIH was adopted, upon a proposal by the Secretariat-General of the Council of Ministers of BIH.

The Council of Ministers Secretariat-General worked actively over the reported period of time, through its Service for development and maintenance of electronic operations system and e-government on replacement and improvement of infrastructure and security of the system and service, thus improving their functionality with increased resilience to social engineering and phishing attacks.

By implementation of a set of recommendations, the third phase of setting standards and procedures in line with ISO certificate was completed, and preconditions were met for further improvement of information security, as per international standards.

An emphasis over the next phase will be on further interoperability and improvement of data exchange among institutions at Bosnia and Herzegovina, with continued strengthening of security and technical system capacities.

State-level institutions, users of services of e-Government, should coordinate their planning and implementation of digital projects with the Service for maintenance and development of electronic operations and e-Government of the Council of Ministers Secretariat-General, for securing technical harmonisation with the existing infrastructure of e-Government service and standards of interoperability.

SUPPORT TO MSME IN BIH

The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent to OPEC Fund for International Development for implementation of a credit line to Mikrofin, Ltd., Banja Luka, a microcredit association, pursuant to an Agreement on investments promotion and protection between Bosnia and Herzegovina and OPEC Fund for International Development.

It is about EUR 12,500,000 credit line for support to micro and small enterprises, especially micro enterprises owned by women.

Mikrofin, Ltd., Banja Luka microcredit association, as a borrower, bears all risk of the loan repayment and financing in the targeted sector, and supplies the creditor with all needed coverage and guarantees for the loan approval.

An obligation for granting consent by the Council of Ministers of BIH for investments OPEC Fund for International Development implements in Bosnia and Herzegovina stems from a Bilateral Agreement on Investments Promotion and Protection and is not related to borrowing by Bosnia and Herzegovina nor to issuing of sovereign state guarantees.

IMPLEMETNATION OF COUNCIL OF MINISTERS CONCLUSIONS

The session took note of a piece of information on situation and dynamics of implementation of conclusions adopted at 19 - 10 regular and nine extraordinary - Council of Ministers sessions, held between October 1 and December 31, 2025.

The review, drafted by the Council of Ministers Secretariat-General, covers 26 institutions of the Council of Ministers of BIH, which implemented 150 conclusions of total adopted 181, while 31 conclusions remained unimplemented.

The competent Ministries and institutions should take required activities within their responsibility and without delay for a full implementation of the conclusions.

NEGATIVE OPINION ON INCREASE OF REIMBURSEMENTS BEYOND LAW ON SALARIES

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined several opinions of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury and Ministry of Justice to a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interest in Institutions at Bosnia and Herzegovina level, filled by the Parliamentary Assembly of BIH House of Representatives.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury granted its negative opinion to the proposed law amendments on introduction of a permanent and regular reimbursement to a member of the Committee for Decision-Making in Conflict of Interest. The elaboration suggests that the issue of reimbursements was systematically regulated under the Law on Salaries and Reimbursements in Institutions of BIH, so too broad and vaguely formulated amendment would bring about discrepancy among laws and create space for possible manipulations.

The Ministry of Justice did not react on the meris, stressing that it is a mater of fiscal issues, responsibility of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

DEPUTY’S INITIATIVE CONSIDERED

The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to consider an initiative by Rejhana Dervišević and Mira Pekić, Deputies with the Parliamentary Assembly House of Representatives, and its applicability and report it to the Council of Ministers.

It is about a deputy’s initiative which proposes amendment of the Council of Ministers of BIH decision on way and procedure of implementation of a right to mother’s leave reimbursement in situation of harmonisation of the mother’s leave reimbursement when it comes to an increase of basic salary to employees in Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

SUPPORT TO INITIATIVE FOR ACCESSION TO CoE CONVENTION ON MANIPULATION WITH SPORTS COMPETITIONS

The Ministry of Civil Affairs will consider a Deputy’s Initiative by Saša Magazinović, Deputy in the Parliamentary Assembly House of Representatives, and its applicability, in communication with responsible Entity and Cantonal Ministries, concerning starting a procedure for signing and ratification of the Council of Europe Convention on Manipulation with Sports Competitions (Macolin Convention), and report it to the Council of Ministers of BIH.

Deputy Magazinović’ s initiative, sent to the Council of Ministers by the House of Representatives, suggests that the ratification of the Convention would prevent manipulations in sports competitions, which represents a serious challenge to integrity of sports, public confidence and fair competition among sportsmen.

NO VISA FOR BIH THIS TOURISTIC SEASON TOO FOR CITIZENS FO SAUDI ARABIA, OMAN AND BAHREIN

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-proposed decision on amendment of a Decision on Visas.

The decision still enables visa free regime for citizens fo the Kingdom of Bahrein, Sultanate Oman and kingdom of Saudi Arabia during the touristic season, from June 1 to September 30, 2026, total 60 day-long.

NOTIFICATION ON RESIGNATION

The Council of Ministers of BIH released Šimun Novaković from his duty of Deputy Director of the Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina, starting from April 21, 2026, after he resigned due to assuming another position.

The Agency for Civil Service of BIH should accelerate public job vacancy procedure for selection of Deputy Director of the Archives of IH. (end)

Link for Photos

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