Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina held its 134th session

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina defined a Bill on Amendments and Supplements of the Law on Indirect Tax Enforcement. 

The proposer, Indirect Taxation Administration Managing Board, will submit the Bill to the Parliamentarian Assembly on B-H for discussion under a regular legislative procedure.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Defined a Bill on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Free Access to Information in Bosnia and Herzegovina

The proposer, Ministry of Justice, will submit the Bill to the Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H for consideration under a regular legislative procedure.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Defined a Bill on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Registration of Legal Entities That Establish Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The proposer, Ministry of Justice, will submit the Bill to the Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H for consideration under a regular legislative procedure.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Defined a Bill on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina

The proposer, Ministry of Civil Affairs, will submit the Bill to the Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H for consideration under a regular legislative procedure.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Defined a Bill on Days off During Religious Holidays in Bosnia and Herzegovina, accepting suggestions of the Interreligious Council of B-H.

The proposer, Ministry of Civil Affairs, will submit the Bill to the Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H for consideration under a regular legislative procedure.

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Defined a Proposal Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ukrainian Ministry on Conditions of Mutual Travel of Citizens.

The proposer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will submit the Proposal Agreement to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sven Alkalaj is proposed as the signatory of the Agreement on behalf of B-H.

The Council of Ministers defines a Proposal Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on Cooperation in Fight against Crime, Especially Terrorism, Trade with Narcotics and Organised Crime.

The proposer, Ministry of Security, will submit the Proposal Agreement to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Minister of Security Sadik Ahmetović is proposed as the B-H signatory of the Agreement.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for Negotiations and Conclusion of an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of B-H and Government of the Republic of Turkey on Mutual Protection and Exchange of Classified Data.

The proposer, Ministry of Security, will submit the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for the conclusion of the First Amendment to the Financing Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and KfW for the Establishment of the European Fund for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Second Amendment to the Agreement on Financing and Fund Administration within the Loan-Guarantee Fund between Bosnia and Herzegovina and KfW.

The proposer, Ministry of Finance and Treasury of B-H, will submit the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Minister of Finance and Treasury Dragan Vrankić is the proposed B-H signatory of the Amendments to the Agreements.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined Proposal Basis for negotiations for the conclusion of a Contract on Exchange of Free Trade Contract between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Turkey.

The proposer, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, will submit the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Mladen Zirojević is the proposed B-H signatory of the Contract.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for negotiations for the conclusion of an Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of India.

The proposer, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, will submit the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Mladen Zirojević is the proposed B-H signatory of the Agreement.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined Proposal Basis for negotiations and signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) and Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina within the Project on Implementation and Ratification of Protocol on Heavy Metals, Protocol on Steady Organic Pollutants and Gothenburg Protocol.

The proposer, Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, will submit the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Mladen Zirojević is the proposed B-H signatory of the Contract.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for negotiations for the conclusion of an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Kingdom of Denmark on Mutual Protection and Exchange of Classified Data.

The proposer, Ministry of Security, will submit the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Minister of Security Sadik Ahmetović is the proposed B-H signatory of the Contract.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for negotiations for the conclusion of a Contract on Consortium for Project Implementation of the “EU Funds and Effective Utilisation Thereof in Bosnia and Herzegovina”.

The proposer, Directorate for European Integrations, will submit the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Head of the Directorate for European Integrations Nevenka Savić is the proposed B-H signatory of the Contract.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Joining the “Culture 2007-2013” Programme, and adopted the text Memorandum.

The proposer, Ministry of Civil Affairs, will submit the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Minister of Civil Affairs Sredoje Nović is the proposed B-H signatory of the Memorandum.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and accepted an Initiative of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury for negotiations for a conclusion of a Financing Contract between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Investment Bank for the Hospitals in Republika Srpska Project.

In that purpose, a delegation a negotiating delegation will be comprised of following members:

-          Minister of Finance and Treasury, or authorised persons – head of negotiating team;

-          Minister of Finance of Republika Srpska, or authorised persons;

-          Minister of Health and Social Welfare of Republika Srpska, or authorised persons.

Following the completion of negotiations, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury will act pursuant to Article 39 (4) of the Law on Borrowing, Dept and Guarantees of Bosnia and Herzegovina (“Official Gazette of B-H”, Nos. 52/05 and 103/09).

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined the following individual proposal decisions on ratification of international treaties:

-          Proposal Decision on Ratification of Protocol on Flood Protection, with a framework Agreement of the Basin of the River Sava.

-          Proposal Decision on Ratification of a Protocol between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Government of Malta on Implementation of the Agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on Readmission of Persons Not Holding Residence Permit.

The proposer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will submit the Proposal Decisions to the Presidency of B-H for adoption.

The Council of Ministers of B-H was informed of the Decision of the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina on Admissibility and Merits No. U-12/09, of May 28, 2010.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is charged to implement obligations of the Council of Ministers in relation to the above Decision, taking into consideration the deadline for notification of the Constitutional Court of B-H of the measures undertaken.

The Council of Ministers of B-H took a Decision on Relocation of KM 100,000 Budget Funds from the Ministry of Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the B-H Service for Foreigners’ Affairs.

The Council of Ministers of B-H was informed by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on the up-coming Third Ministerial Conference on Coordination of Social Security in SEE.

In that regard, the Council of Ministers gave its consent for the Budva Declaration, to be signed on October 12, 2010 in Budva, Monte Negro at the final Third Ministerial Conference, and authorised Minister of Civil Affairs Sredoje Nović to sign the Declaration on behalf of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report of the Ministry of Security on the Security Situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first half of 2010.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report on Implementation of the 2009-2011 SMEs Development Strategy in B-H.  

In that regard, a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of B-H was adopted that its Department for Entrepreneurialship Promotion, the establishment of which was provided for under the 2009-2011 SMEs Development Strategy, should be institutionally organised within the B-H Foreign Investment Promotion Agency (FIPA).

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is charged to set up a work group, together with the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency, to prepare a Bill on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Foreign Investment Promotion Agency of B-H, so that the entrepreneurialship promotion activity would be incorporated into the Agency’s competences.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of B-H is charged to conduct consultations with the Delegation of European Union in B-H concerning Delegation’s support to the implementation of such institutional arrangements.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report of the Ministry of Civil Affairs on the Commission for Demining in B-H, its status and background for appointing new Commission membership.

In that regard, the Council of Ministers took a Decision on Invalidating the Decision on Appointing Members of the Commission for Demining.

The following conclusions were made in connection with that:

-          Members of the Commission for Demining in Bosnia and Herzegovina Dragiša Mekić, Mustafa Alikadić and Darko Vidović are released from duty as their mandate terminated;

-          The Ministry of Civil Affairs is charged to appoint new members of the Commission within 15 days from the adoption of this Report;

-          The previous members are obliged to transfer with due diligence all available equipment, supplies, documentation and files relevant for the Commission operation to new Commission members, in order to prevent any adverse effects to the Commission operations;

-          The previous members are obliged to inform new members of the Commission on all activities underway and current activities, so as to enable a smooth continuation of the operations.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report of the Ministry of Civil Affairs concerning a request by the General Museum for provision of central heating for 2010/2011 heating season.

In regard to that, the Service for General Affairs of B-H Institutions is requested to undertake appropriate measures so that the General Museum would be connected the central heating system of the B-H Institutions for 2010/2011 heating season.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report on introduction of the sector approach (SWAp) in Bosnia and Herzegovina within activities of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury Department for Coordination of International Economic Aid, and concluded the following:

-          The Council of Ministers of B-H supports the development of a sector approach methodology in Bosnia and Herzegovina, based upon ongoing activities of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury Department for Coordination of International Economic Aid; and

-          The Ministry of Finance and Treasury Department for Coordination of International Economic Aid is charged to report to the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina by November 2010 on the proposed sector approach modalities in the selected pilot projects.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report of the Agency for Food Security in B–H on establishment of the genetically modified organisms control system in human and animal food in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In that regard, the Agency for Food Security in B-H is responsible to sign an agreement-protocol with a referent laboratory for genetically modified organisms from an EU member country, which should serve as a referent laboratory until an authorised laboratory from B-H reach the reference level and get a certification from the Council of Ministers of B-H.

The Agency is charged to continue active coordination with competent bodies from Entities and the Brčko District on improvement of GMO system with a view to protect life and health of people and secure orderly functioning of the B-H internal market.

The Agency should engage, as appropriate, additional foreign and domestic GMO experts in order to improve the genetically modified human and animal food quality.

The Council of Ministers considered and adopted a Report of the Ministry of Transport and Communications on procedures of selection and appointment of members of the Council of the Agency for Postal Traffic in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

In that regard, the Ministry of Transport and Communications is charged to implement the procedure of selection and appointment of members of the Council of the Agency for Postal Traffic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with the Law on Ministerial Appointments, Appointments of the Council of Ministers and Other Appointments in Bosnia and Herzegovina (“Official Gazette of B-H”, Nos. 7/01 and 27/03) and Decision on Publication of Competition and Criteria for Selection of Members of the Council of the Agency for Postal Traffic of Bosnia and Herzegovina (“Official Gazette of B-H”, No. 46/06).

The Council of Ministers of B-H received a Report of the Directorate for Economic Planning on Macroeconomic Trends for the period January-July 2010.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report on Operations of the Border Police of B-H for the first six months of 2010.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report on activities of the Commission for Coordination of Youth Issues in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period January 1 – June 30, 2010.

Upon a proposal by the Agency for Civil Service of B-H, the Council of Ministers adopted Regulations on Amendments and Supplements to the Book of Rules for Disciplinary Responsibility of Civil Servants in Institutions of B-H.

The Council of Ministers of B-H verified the Regulations on Amendments and Supplements of the Rule Book on Internal Organisation of the Ministry of Justice.

The Council of Ministers of B-H gave individual consents to a specification of working posts for secondary school education staff as classified by salary levels, and defined an obligation to adjust the classification with a Opinion of the Ministry of Justice in the following institutions:

-          Directorate for Economic Planning;

-          Memorial Centre Srebrenica – Potočari - Memorial Complex and Graveyard of 1995 Genocide Victims;

-          Administration for Health Protection of Herbs in Bosnia and Herzegovina;

-          Institute for intellectual Property of B-H;

-          Agency for Civil Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

-          State Agency for Investigation and Protection;

-          Communications Regulatory Agency; and

-          Ministry of Security.

The Council of Ministers of B-H gave its consent to the appointment of Major Gonzalo Jesus Pantoja Navarra as Police Attaché of Spain in Bosnia and Herzegovina, upon a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered a request from the Agency for Civil Service of Bosnia and Herzegovina and proposed Assistant Manager of the Agency of Food Security in B-H Džemil Hajrić for a new member of the Committee for Selection of Manager and Deputy Manager of the Agency for Food Security in B-H.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered a report from the Ministry of Justice on impossibility to implement the Conclusion No. 05-07-1-22-36/10, of July 28, 2010, in relation with information concerning the Article 29(a) of the Law on Ministries and Other Administrative Bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as prepared by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.

In that regard, the Ministry of Civil Affairs is charged for the implementation of the Conclusion No. 05-07-1-22-36/10, of July 28, 2010.

The Council of Ministers of B-H received Information from the Agency for Public Procurement of B-H, in which it seeks a prolongation of a deadline for implementation of the conclusions from the 111th session of the Council of Ministers, charging the Agency for Public Procurement to develop a Bill on Public Procurement and a training programme for employees in B-H institutions for application of public procurement regulations.

In that regard, the Agency for Public Procurement was charged to report on implementation of the conclusions.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Proposal of the Ministry of Justice to amend the conclusion from the 129th session of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and decided to appoint Minister of Civil Affairs Sredoje Nović, Minister for Human Rights and Refugees Sefer Halilović and Minister of Justice Bariša Čolak into an Intersector Group for Development of Law on Amendments and Supplements to the Law on Prevention of Conflict of Interest in B-H Institutions.

The Council of Ministers of B-H was informed of the conclusions from the 83rd session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H, and in connection with that made the following conclusions:

-          The Service for General Affairs of B-H Institutions, together with the Agency for Public Procurement, is in charge for implementation of the conclusion on the Review of Procurement of Computer Equipment in Institutions o B-H, concerning a need for development of regulations on procurement and standardisation of IT equipment, cars, office supplies and other technical equipment;

-          The following institutions of B-H are is charge for the implementation of conclusions on the Report on Rent by B-H Institutions in Budget year of 2010:

(a)    The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is responsible for implementation of the conclusion under 1), which refers to project approvals for procurement/construction of buildings for B-H institutions in Banja Luka and Sarajevo (a decision on project approval for procurement/construction of buildings for institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina had already been made in order to solve the problems of priority accommodation of some B-H institutions in Mostar);

(b)   The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is responsible for the implementation of the conclusion under 2), which refers to the development of the rationalisation and cost reduction plan for rent of business premises, flats, magazines, parking places, IT equipment storage facilities, land and equipment, charged to B-H Institutions;

(c)    The Ministry of Finance and Treasury, together with Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defence and Service for General Affairs, are responsible for implementation of the conclusion under 3), which refers to development of Strategy for solving rent problems at the level of Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, including setting priorities, holders of responsibility and realisation dynamics, with a focus on rent standards and prices, especially rends by the B-H Consular-Diplomatic Network and Ministry of Defence;

(d)   The Supreme Audit Office of B-H Institutions is responsible for implementation of the conclusion under 4), which refers to an obligation to include a special chapter into their audit reports which refers to a control of rent of business premises, flats, warehouses, parking places, IT equipment storage facilities, land and other equipment of B-H Institutions.

(e)    The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is responsible for implementation of the conclusions on a Report on Public Indebtedness of Bosnia and Herzegovina as at December 31, 2009.

The Council of Ministers was informed of an initiative of the Club of Deputies of SDA, adopted at the 83rd session of the House of Representatives of Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H in relation to a Report of the Council of Ministers on natural persons - private loan guarantors issue, in which a problem solving arrangement was proposed for debt repayment to be sought from chief debtors, and the Report includes a special analysis of relevant legislation and prospects for its improvement.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is in charge for further action upon this initiative and reporting.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined responses to Deputies’ inquiries, as proposed by sector Ministries and other relevant institutions as follows:

-          A response to inquiry by Husein Numić, Member of the House of Representatives, as proposed by the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees;

-          A response to inquiry by Nermina Zaimović-Uzunović, Member of the House of Representatives, as proposed by the Commission for Refugees and Displaced Persons; and

-          A response to inquiry by Željko Kuzmanović, Member of the House of Representatives, as proposed by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

Responses to deputies’ inquiries will be provided to the Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H by the Secretariat-General of the Council of Ministers.

The Council of Ministers of B-H adopted a Report from the Directorate for European Integrations on direct grants agreed between the Delegation of European Union and Directorate for European Integrations of B-H for the following three bilateral cross border cooperation programmes with neighbouring countries, namely Croatia, Serbia and Montenegro, to be funded from 2007 IPA budget:

-          Support in administration, implementation, information, promotion and evaluation of the Croatia-Bosnia and Herzegovina Cross-Border Cooperation Programme (Priority: technical assistance);

-          Support in administration, implementation, information, promotion and evaluation of the Serbia-Bosnia and Herzegovina Cross-Border Cooperation Programme (Priority: technical assistance);

-          Support in administration, implementation, information, promotion and evaluation of the Montenegro-Bosnia and Herzegovina Cross-Border Cooperation Programme (Priority: technical assistance).

Manager of the Directorate for European Integrations Nevenka Savić is authorised to sign three contracts for three cross-border cooperation programmes to be funded from 2007 grant programme and all further contracts on technical assistance grants for cross-border/transnational cooperation under the IPA component II, in accordance with the Law on Conclusion and Execution of International Treaties in Relation to Implementation Contracts.

The Directorate for European Integrations will include information on implementation of the grants into their regular annual reports on implementation of IPA component II programmes to the Council of Ministers.

The previous conclusions will become invalid on October 1, 2010, the date of effectiveness of the present conclusion, as provided for in the Contracts Article 2, in order to ensure continuity in implementation of bilateral cross-border cooperation programmes with neighbouring countries.

The Council of Ministers of B-H adopted a Supplement to the Report of the B-H institutions within the regular Annual Report on Progress of B-H towards European Integrations in 2010.

The Directorate for European Integrations is charge to submit to the European Commission the supplement to the B-H report to the Regular Annual Report on Progress of B-H towards European Integrations in 2010, by October 5, 2010, at latest.

The Council of Ministers of B-H adopted a Decision on Restrictive Measures of Entry and Transit though B-H Territory for a More Effective Implementation of the International Criminal Court for Ex-Yugoslavia Mandate, as proposed by the Ministry of Justice.

The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Decision on Appointing Milorad Tuševljak for the Member of the State Regulatory Committee for Electric Power from Republika Srpska.

The Secretariat-General of the Council of Ministers is in charge to provide the Proposal Decision to the Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H for further procedure.

The Council of Ministers of B-H adopted a new Book of Rules on Funds Allocation for Assistance to Foreign Investors in Bosnia and Herzegovina.