The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 138th Session

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for negotiations for conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Council of Europe on Sarajevo Office of the Council of Europe and its legal status. 

The proposer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will provide the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and proposed signatories of the Memorandum are the Minister of Foreign Affairs of B-H and B-H Ambassador to the Council of Europe n Strasbourg, in case the Memorandum needs to be signed at the seat of the Council of Europe.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for negotiations for conclusion of a Memorandum of Understanding between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Philippines on Bilateral Cooperation in Tourism.

The proposer, Ministry for Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, will deliver the Proposal Basis to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations is proposed as the B-H signatory of the Memorandum.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for negotiations for conclusion of a Trade Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Georgia.

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

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Basis for accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the Agreement on Privileges and Immunities of the International Crime Tribunal.

The Proposer, Ministry of Justice, will deliver the Proposal Agreement to the Presidency of B-H for further procedure, and Chief of B-H Mission to UN is the proposed signatory of the Agreement.

The Council of Ministers of B-H defined a Proposal Decision on Ratification of Financing Contract on between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Commission of European Communities on Bosnia and Herzegovina – Montenegro Cross Border Programme within 2009 IPA Cross Border Cooperation.

The proposer, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will provide the Proposal Decision to the Presidency of B-H for its adoption.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and accepted an Initiative for negotiations for conclusion of a Loan Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, and BAWAG p.s.k. Vienna, Bank fur Arbeit und Wirtschaft und Osterreiche Postsparkasse Aktiensellschaft for the General Hospital Abdulah Nakaš Project, under the scope the Framework Agreement and Amendments to the Framework Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Austria.

In view of that, the following negotiating team was designeated:

-           Minister of Finance and Treasury of B-H or authorised persons - head of delegation;

-          Minister of Finance of the Federation of B-H, or authorised persons;

-          Minister of Finance and Sarajevo Canton, or authorised persons;

-          Head of “Public Institution General Hospital Adbulah Nakaš”, or authorised persons.

Following the completed negotiations, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury will act in accordance with the Article 39, paragraph 4 of the Law on Borrowing, Debt and Guarantees of B-H (“Official Gazette of B-H”, Nos. 52/05 and 103/09), and in that regard, it will provide a Draft Loan Agreement and a Basis for its conclusion to the Council of Ministers.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Security, the Council of Ministers of B-H adopted the Standard Operative Procedures for Intersector Coordination of Crossing the State Border on Receipt/Delivery of International Aid in Protection and Rescue.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Justice, the Council of Ministers of B-H took a Decision on appointing intersector work group for development of a Bill on Amendments and Supplements of the Law on Civil Service in Institutions of B-H.

The intersector work group will be comprised of the following members:

-          Fazila Musić, Ministry of Justice of B-H;

-          Bojan Ninković, Ministry of Justice of B-H;

-          Milan Zjajić, Ministry of Civil Affairs of B-H;

-          Neven Akšamija Agency of Civil Service of B-H; and

-          Olivera Vujičić, Agency for Work and Employment of B-H.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Justice, the Council of Ministers took a Decision on Amendment of the Decision on appointing members from Bosnia and Herzegovina into the Regional School for Public Management (ReSPA) Managing Board.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, the Council of Ministers took a Decision on withdrawal of the fourth tranche of the Stand-By Arrangement III with the IMF.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Security, the Council of Ministers took a Decision on Amendments and Supplements to the Decision on establishment of an inter-sector work group for development of natural and other disaster risk assessment of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Upon a proposal by the Secretariat – General of the Council of Ministers, the Council of Ministers of B-H adopted a Communication Strategy of the Council of Ministers of B-H with an accompanying Action Plan for 2010/2011.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry for Civil Affairs, the Council of Ministers of B-H took a Decision on the allocation of the remaining resources from the “Programme for Preparation of Projects and Potential Candidates for EU –FP7” Grant Funds for 2010.

The Council of Ministers of B-H adopted Information of the Ministry of Security on landslides in the Municipality of Trnovo and, in that regard, it concluded the following:

-          Entity Governments are urged to undertake all necessary actions  in order to mobilise fully the competent ministries and all other relevant agencies in addressing the issue of landslides;

-          The Ministry of Security, as a coordinator and together with the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Civil Affairs and Ministry of Communications and Transport, are tasked to undertake needed measures and get actively involved into dealing with the issue of landslide in the area of Bogatići and to Inform the council of Ministers of B-H thereof within 15 day deadline.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered and adopted a Report from the Ministry of Security on implementation of a civil-military field exercise “Joint Response Sarajevo 2010”, held in the B-H Military Barracks in Rajlovac on September 13-15, 2010, and adopted the following relevant conclusions:

-          The Ministry of Security is in charge to deliver to the Council of Ministers for adoption Standard Operational Procedures of Response to NHBRE Incidents, to be developed in cooperation with the competent Ministries and other public administration bodies of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Entities and the Brčko District, in line with the previous conclusions from the 106th session of the Council of Ministers, international obligations and recommendations;

-          The Ministry of Security is tasked to intensify its activities, in accordance with the Framework Law on Protection and Rescue, on establishment of a specialised B-H level protection and rescue unit, with an emphasis to RHB protection components, in accordance with NATO recommendations and obligations stemming from plan documents concerning a full membership in NATO;

-          Competent institutions and public administration bodies of Entities and the Brčko District are tasked to intensify activities on establishment and equipment of their effective structures for response and removal of adverse effects, in addition to ceding a part of capacities to the specialised protection and rescue unit, which establishment is provided for under the Framework Law on Protection and Rescue.

The Council of Ministers of B-H received Information from the Ministry of Defence on abandoning of a part of the “Butmir II” Military Base in Sarajevo by the Italian Contingent of EUFOR and NATO Staff, including a plan of take over the “Butmir II” facilities from the NATO Staff in Sarajevo.

The Ministry of Defence is in charge to prepare and sign a Memorandum of Understanding on takeover of the “Butmir II” Military Base facilities with representatives of the NATO Staff in Sarajevo.

The Council of Ministers did not consider information on participation of the B-H Food Safety Agency and competent B-H and Entity bodies’ representatives at the seminar “Handling Food Emergencies/Crises in the Food Chain: Tasks and Responsibilities of Risk Assessment Bodies”, held in Parma, Italy, organised by EFSA.

The Council of Ministers of B-H considered Information from the Foreign Investment Promotion Agency in B-H (FIPA) on the SEE Regional Financial and Investment Conference within the scope of “Euromoney Conferences”, and in that regard it concluded the following:

-          Participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the Regional Financial and Investment Conference “Euromoney Conferences”, to be held in Vienna in January 2011, is accepted under the second offered option;

-          FIPA is in charge, in cooperation with the competent B–H and Entity institutions, to coordinate B-H participation at this event;

-          FIPA is in charge to prepare and deliver a decision on approving Budget reserves allocations for the participation at this event.

The Council of Ministers considered and adopted a Report from the Directorate for Economic Planning on Macroeconomic Trends for the period of January – September 2010.

The Council of Ministers considered and adopted Information from the Directorate for European Integrations on the European Commission Enlargement Package. At the same time, the Council of Ministers is informed of the conclusions on Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European Commission document titled “The Enlargement Strategy and Key Challenges in 2010-1011”.

The Council of Ministers considered and adopted a Progress Report on Implementation of the Millennium Development Goals in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2010, prepared by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

The Council of Ministers granted its consent to the specification of working posts for secondary level of education as classified into salary levels in the Agency for Education and Professional Up-Grading.

Also, consent is given to the specification of working posts for the secondary level of education, as classified into salary levels in the Agency for Medicines and Medical Aids of B-H, with an accompanying obligation of harmonisation of the specifications with the opinion of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury.

The Council of Ministers of B-H is informed of the end of the term of office of the B-H Export-Credit Agency (IGA) members.

In regard to that, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury is in charge to undertake activities to appoint new members of Agency, in compliance with Article 10 of the Law on Export-Credit Agency of B-H (“Official Gazette of B-H”, No.62/04).

The Council of Ministers defined answers to deputies’ and delegates’ questions, as follows:

-          By the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to a question of Azra Alajbegović (two answers)

The Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers of B-H is in charge to deliver the answers to the Parliamentarian Assembly of B-H.

The Council of Ministers of B-H is informed of a request for visa issuance for persons from Kosovo for the reason of their attendance at the ministerial meeting of countries signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding on Development of Basic Transport Network in SEE, scheduled for December 1, in Sarajevo.

In that regard and in line with the Conclusion from the 86th session of the Council of Ministers, held on may 7, 2009, taken in relation to the position of the Presidency of B-H on legality of documents owned by Kosovo citizens, the Council of Ministers authorises the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to issue entry visas on a separate sheet for two persons from the list accompanying the relevant request, to take part at the ministerial meeting of countries signatories of the Memorandum of Understanding on Development of Basic Transport Network in SEE, scheduled for December 1, in Sarajevo, for the period of the meeting.

The Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers is in charge to provide the above conclusion to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of B-H for further procedure.

Upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, the Council of Ministers took a Decision on harmonisation and validation of B-H customs tariffs for 2011.

The Council of Ministers of B-H charged the Ministry of Security and intersector work group for visa regime liberalisation to implement activities relevant to the visa liberalisation, in cooperation with the Directorate for European Integrations and Ministry of Civil Affairs.