Council of Ministers Holds Its 48th Session

AGREEMENT BETWEEN COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF BIH AND UN POPUILATION FUND 

A Proposal Agreement between the Council of Ministers of BIH and UN Population Fund (UNEPA) was defined, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

This way, implementation of an Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and United Nations Development Programme from Dec. 7, 21995 was taken over, and required amendments refer to activities and UNEPA staff in Bosnia and Herzegovina as to regulation of their status.

The United Nations Population Fund, as an independent unit – agency within UN system.- cooperates actively with the Council of Ministers of BIH, in line with izs mandate, including promotion of human rights protection, empowerment of marginalised groups, with focus on women, adolescents and youth, especially girls, and improvement of sexual and productive health and related rights.

The proposal Agreement with Platform for its conclusion will be provided to the BIH Presidency, with a proposal for tis temporary application until the day of signing, and the BIH Foreign Minister was proposed for the BIH signatory thereof.

FUNCIONAL AMENDMENT IN COORIDNATION BODY FOR TRGOVSKA GORA

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-proposed decision to ament a Decision on appointment of members of Coordination Team of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Issue of storing radioactive waste and depleted nuclear fuel a the Trgovska Gora site.

It is about a functional amendment of the decision, which appoints incumbent Manager of the State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety Ivan Lasić to replace previous one Marinko Zeljko.

Members of the Coordination Team for Issue of Storing Radioactive Waste and Depleted Nuclear Fuel at the Trgovska Gora Site are Ministers in charge for environment and manager with the Radiation and Nuclear Safety Sector.

ADVISORY COUNCIL FOR IMPLEMETNATION OF EXTENDED PARTIAL AGREEMEN WITH COUNCIL OF EUROPE

The Council of Ministers took the Ministry of Civil Affairs-proposed decision to form an Advisory Council for Implementation of Extended Partial Agreement of the Council of Europe on establishment of cultural routes for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with corrections made at the session.

The Advisory Council includes representatives from institutions responsible for culture at BIH, Entity, Brčko District of BIH and 10 cantos level.

The Advisory Council is charged for implementation of the Extended Partial Agreement, and consideration of initiatives for acceding the existing cultural routes and possible candidacy of new ones.

Bosnia and Herzegovina joined the Agreement in 2016, which tends to shape up joint cultural space with development of cultural routes for the aim of awareness raising on heritage, education, networking, high quality and sustainable cross-border tourism and other related activities.

TO FULFIL RECCOMENDATIONS FROM SUB-COMMITTEE CONCERNIGN CANTONAL LISTS OF MEDICINES

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations on steps undertaken for issue-solving of discrimination of foreign pharmaceutical companies as to essential lists of medicines at cantonal level, namely in the Canton of Sarajevo, Unsko-Sanski Canton, Hercegovačko-Neretvanski Canton, and Canton 10.

The Council of Ministers highlights the importance of taking-up measures to fulfil recommendations from meetings of the Sub-Committee for Internal Market and Competition, implying protection of health and consumers, and  of the Sub-Committee for Trade and Industry, Customs and Taxation, held in end February and March, respectively, last year; these are added to letters from the European Commission officials, in which annulment of discriminatory practice with cantonal institutions is required in connection with essential lists of medicines. The recommendations implementation helps achieve a consistent implementation of Stabilisation and Accession Agreement and avoid related negative consequences, announced at the conclusive meetings.

The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministiry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to coordinate urgently activities with cantonal level relevant actors, in order to provide a propriate response to the European Commission.

PUBLIC BROADCASTERS’ DIGITALISATION PROJECT IN FINAL STAGE

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Communications and Transport-tabled piece of information on status of BIH Public Broadcasters Service Digitalisation, which took a new impetus by signing procurement contracts for digital broadcasting equipment, after a longer implementation stalemate in its second and third phase.

The signing of the Procurement Contract for digital broadcasting for realisation of the BIH Public Broadcasters Digitalisation Project on Jan.3,2024 marked a commencement of the third 510-day long deadline for putting the whole system in operation. The contract was signed by Minister of Communications and Transport Edin Forto and representatives of a group of bidders, namely, Sirrius 2010 Banja Luka and Dispatchers and Links Zagreb.

The end of the Project second phase, expected by the end this year, will enable watching earth TV via a new digital signal in the most part of BIH.

The realisation of the third phase throughout Bosnia and Herzegovina will enable receiving of BIH Public Broadcasters services via DVB-T2 digital earth TV platform.

For monitoring of the Contract implementation, the Ministry of Communications and Transport set-up an expert body comprised from the Ministry and three BIH public broadcasters’ experts.

The end of the process of acceptance, installation, testing and putting in operation of the procured equipment, will be reported to the Council of Ministers by the Ministry of Communications and Transport.

ANALYSIS OF BIH FOREIGN TRADE EXCHANGE IN 2023

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Analysis of Foreign Trade Exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023, and tasked the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to provide such analyses quarterly.

The total goods exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023 was KM 44.47 billion, with value of exported goods of KM 16.7 billion, and imported goods  of KM 27.77 billion, which resulted in a foreign trade deficit of KM 11.07 billion.

Bosnia and Herzegovina exported in 2023 mostly electric power, in value of KM 1.06 bil., and imported mostly petroleum oils, apart from rude oils, worth KM 2.40 bill.

The most of goods was exported to Germany (KM 2.568 bil.), to Croatia (KM 2.55 bil), Serbia (KM 2.09 bil.), Austria (KM 1..72 bil), Italy (KM 1.45 bil.), and Slovenia (KM1.36 bil.).

At the same time, the most of goods were imported from Italy (KM 3.87 bil), Germany (KM 3.34 bil.), Serbia (KM 2.83 bil), China (KM 2.63 bil.), Croatia (KM 2.10 bil.), and Turkey (KM 1.54 bil.).

The major coverage of import by export was made with Austria (172.2%), or 1.54% more than in 0222, with Slovenia 126%, Croatia 127.65%, which is 27.56% more than in year before.

Export to European Union countries was KM 12.9 billion, which is 7.86% less than in 2022, while import from the EU counties was KM 17.6 bil, which is 0.47% more than in 0222.

BIH AS PART OF GLOBAL NETWORK FOR SUPRESSION OF MEDICAL PRODUCTS FORGERY

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Civil Affairs-tabled 2023 Activity Report of the Cross-Sector Work Group for Implementation Monitoring of the Council of Europe Convention on Forgery of Medical Products and Similar Acts posing a threat to public health (MEDICRIME).

Through earlier assigned cross-sector work group and national contact point with the Board of representatives of the Council of Europe member-countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina implements continuously activities under an Operative plan-stemmed obligations. It includes exchange of information and cooperation with responsible bodies in BIH and globally, to the end of effective prevention and suppression of forgery of medical products and medicines, and similar crimes, posing a threat to public health.

Responsible bodies in BIH are part of numerous global operative actions and international investigations, including a continuous action against illegal sales of forged medicines and medial appliances via Internet, under the code name “Pangea”.

CONSENT TO APPOINTMENT OF AUSTRIAN DEFENCE ATTACHÉ IN BIH

Upon a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a consent was granted for appointment of I Class Ensign Hager Michael for Assistant Defence Attaché of the Republic of Austria in Bosnia and Herzegovina, seated in Sarajevo.

POOLING OF CITIZENS OF BULGARIA IN BIH

The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent to voting by citizens of the Republic of Bulgaria in territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, upon a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The vote will take place on the occasion of elections for members of the National Assembly of the Republic of Bulgaria and for members of the European Parliament from this country.

Bulgarian citizens staying in territory of BIH will be enabled to vote on June 9, 2024 in the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Sarajevo in time between 7.00 to 20.00 hrs.

TO PUBLISH JOB VACANCY AD FOR DEPUTY COORDINATOR FOR PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM

The session tasked the Secretariat General of the Council of Ministers od BIH to open, together with the Office of Chairwoman, a new job vacancy ad for position of Deputy Coordinator of the Public Administration reform.

Previously, a report was considered on implemented public job vacancy ad, and appointment of Samir Sabljica for Deputy Coordinator was rejected, since he was the only candidate and because of a suspicion on violation of procedure to be implemented pursuant to the Law on Ministerial Appointments to the Council of Ministers and Other Appointments of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The position of acting Deputy Coordinator for Public Administration reform will continue to be served by Amira Mašović, appointed this March.

REGULAR SHIFT AT POSITION OF PRESIDENT OF COMPETITION COUNCIL

The session appointed Ivo Jerkić for President of the Competition Council for one year term, starting from July 26, 0224.

The Council of Ministers of BIH appoints President from among staff members of the Competition Council, upon a proposal by this body, pursuant to the Law on Competition.

Jerkić will replace the incumbent president Adisa Begić, who served the office from July 26, 2023. (end)