Sjednice
Council of Ministers of BIH Completes 28th and Holds 29th Session
11/20/2023
Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Borjana Krišto briefed, during the sequel of the 28 session, Ministers on a call by President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen to Bosnia and Herzegovina, when EUR six billion EC 2024-2027 Growth Plan for Western Balkans was presented.
The Growth Plan includes up to EUR 2 billion of grants for acceleration socio-economic approximation to the European Union.
Chairwoman Krišto announced that Bosnia and Herzegovina, with continuation of reforms acceleration and dynamisation of the budget adoption process, might attract more than EUR 1 billion under this assistance package, which would speed-up considerably the European road and increase BIH economic growth for benefit of all citizens of BIH.
ANNUAL AGRICULTURE REPORT WILL BE PROVIDED TO BIH PARLIAMENTARIAN ASSEMBLY
The Council of Ministers of BIH considered 2022 Annual Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Report, corrected at the session.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations will provide the Report to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly for adoption.
The report represents a comprehensive BIH document, showing the state of affairs in agricultural-food sector and implemented BIH agricultural policy measures, including a level of financial resources provided for support to lift production and strengthen competitiveness of domestic agriculture.
Along with macroeconomic ambience indices, presented were compiled data on sown areas, volume and structure of agricultural production, agricultural products total prices and their foreign trade exchange, as well as food safety, phytosanitary protection and veterinary operations. The report also contains data on relevant activities implemented in the context of the European integrations and international cooperation.
APPOINTMENTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH appointed, in accordance with the BIH Civil Service Agency opinion, Ivan Lasić for Manager and Nikola Petrović for Deputy Manager in the State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the best ranked candidates at an implemented relevant job vacancy procedure.
Earlier, the previous Manager Marinko Zeljko and Deputy Manager Zoran Tešanović were released due to their mandate expiry.
The State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety of Bosnia and Herzegovina is due to adjust its Rulebook on internal organisation to public competition increase needs.
A public job competition ad is needed to be published for the second Agency’s Deputy Manager.
The Council of Ministers of BIH appointed Adela Vileš Bektaš Acting Deputy Manager of the phytosanitary Administration of Bosnia and Herzegovina, until the end of a relevant job vacancy procedure, for three months at longest.
KM 100k FOR DEMINING PROJECTS IN DOBOJ, VISOKO AND VITEZ
The 29th session of the Council of Ministers took a decision to earmark KM 100.000 from grants to non-profit organisations under the Ministry of Civil Affairs “2023 Co-Financing of Demining Actions in Bosnia and Herzegovina” Projects, as support to demining oeprations in BIH.
Out of total funds for demining project in Doboj, secured was KM 40,000, while projects in Visoko and Vitez got KM 30.000 each.
The projects were earlier proposed by BIH Mine Action Commission (MAK), and supported by the BIH Demining Committee, in accordance with defined criteria, including that the projects are listed among priorities of the 2022 Demining Plan (Entity Priority List) and related Municipalities are able to co-finance.
LEGAL AND PROPERTY RELATIONS PROTECTION
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Chief Attorney’s Office-proposed decision on financial sources and making-up financial obligations for the purpose of an international investment arbitrage proceeding in a legal matter of claimant Pramod Mittal, Sengeeta Mittal, Vartika Mittal, Shristi Mittal, and Divyesh Mittal against the claimed Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Council of Ministers of BIH approved KM 800,000 from the 2023 BIH Institutions Budget, for the purpose of protection of legal and property interests of BIH in this arbitrage proceeding. Funds are intended for engagement of a specialised law firm for international investments deputies, to be selected by the Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH, in order to co-represent Bosnia and Herzegovina in this arbitrage procedure, as well as for deposit payment for the arbitrage tribunal operations, including for engagement of legal and financial experts.
The arbitrage procedure was initiated pursuant to an Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of India on Promotion and Protection of Foreign Investments, in accordance with arbitrage rules of United Nations Committee for International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), concerning claimant’s investments to the Global Ispat Cox Industry. Ltd. Lukavac (GIKIL, Ltd. Lukavac).
After the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BIH fulfils its obligations from this decision, the Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH will take certain legal measures for protection of financial interests of BIH Institutions and in accordance with binding regulations, towards lower levels of authority to which the dispute refers.
Earlier, the Council of Ministers of BIH warned the Governments of the Federation of BIH and Tuzla Canton on their respective obligations stemming from Article 29 of the Law on Procedure of Conclusion and Execution of International Treaties, in connection with conclusion of a modified treaty on mutual rights and obligations as to arbitrage procedure in file GIKIL, LTD. Lukavac.
TO PREPARE 2024-2028 ANTI-CORRUPTION STRATETGY
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on appoint a Work Group for development of 2024-228 Anti-Corruption Strategy and accompanying Action Plan, with a correction made at the session.
Along with representatives of the Agency for Prevention and Anti-Corruption Coordination and Parliamentarian Committee for the Agency Surveillance, the Wok Group includes appointed representatives from competent Ministries of BIH, and institutions under Council of Ministers and other State-level institutions, together with Entity Ministries, the Brčko District of BIH institutions, and relevant cantonal institutions.
The Work group is tasked to develop a Draft Strategy and belonging Action Plan within four month time from the decision endorsement, and provide it to the Council of Ministers of BIH for adoption.
AMENDMNET AND SUPPLEMENT TO CONSULTATIONS RULES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF LEGAL ACTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Justice-proposed Rules on Amendments and Supplements to the Rules for Consultations in Development of Legal Acts, for the aim of more precise defining certain stipulations and improvement of consultations procedures with interested public.
The consultations rules have been applied form 2017, when relevant practice proved necessity of amendments and supplements, in order to enable better cooperation with civil society and further harmonisation of legal and institutional framework and practice of inclusion of citizens and civil society organisations in shaping –up public policies un BIH.
The Amendments and Supplements also further harmonise the Consultation Rules with amendments and supplements to Single Rules for Development of Legal Acts in BIH Institutions in a part referring to assessment of rules effects.
FAILED ADOPTION OF VENETIAN BIENNALE REPORT
The Council of Ministers of BIH failed to adopt the Ministry of Civil Affairs-tabled piece of information on proposal for participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina at the 60th Venetian Biennale 2024, after no consensus was reached two rounds of vote.
It was a proposal by the Federal Ministry of Culture and Sports for Bosnia and Herzegovina’s Pavilion at the 60th Venetian Biennale 2024 to be presented by projects “Sea Measure” by academic sculptor Stjepan Skoka and the exhibition curator Marin Ivanović, and “Where We Are at Home”, by Sarajevo City museums, developed in cooperation with author Šejla Kamerić.
BIH CHIEF ATTORNEY’S OFFICE PIECE OF INFORMATION ON AWARD BY HIGH COURT OF CALIFORNIA
The Council of Ministers fi BIH adopted two pieces of information by BIH Chief Attorney’s Office on a Proposal for amendment of award by the Higher Court of California, with accompanying conclusions aimed to protect property and property interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Under Dec. 11, 2019 award by the High Court of California, Orange District, the Yugobanka Jsc., Belgrade, A New York Agency, was obliged to pay USD 738,772.23, with USD 203 interest daily until final court award.
Since the debt has never been made-up, claimant Daniel Ćavić in file against Yugobanka, Jsc. Belgrade, and referring to Annex C of the Agreement on Succession Issues of Ex-Yugoslavia, demands the Higher Court in California to extend the award to Ex-Yugoslavia successor countries of, including Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The BIH Chief Attorney’s Office should accept an US law firm offer for representation of BIH before the Higher Court in California concerning a proposal submitted for amendment of the award, in order to ensure dismissal of claimant’s proposal, in relation to BIH, following a positive practice of neighbouring countries in the identical file.
The BIH Chief Attorney’s Office should protect property and property interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina in its proceeding, and upon the end thereof it will provide a detailed piece of information to the Council of Ministers of BIH, including the procedure financing.
TO SPEED-UP RATIFICATION PROCESS OF BIH-CROATIA STATE BORDER CONCTRACT
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Report on activities taken so far as to demarcation between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia, to be passed to the BIH Presidency by the Ministry of Civil Affairs.
The State Committee for Border of Bosnia and Herzegovina will, in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH, restore contacts with its partners in the Republic of Croatia, and will continue cooperation on acceleration of the ratification process of the State Broder Contact between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia. The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH will create all needed technical conditions for operation of the State Committee for Broder.
The report suggests that June 30, 1999 State Border Contract between BIH and the Republic of Croatia, together with belonging 86-sheet map TKI:25000, has not been ratified yet by the contracting parties.
The two states representatives presented differing positions as to a signed-to Agreement on priorities in implementation of the State Border Contract.
TO PUBLISH JOB VACANCY AD
The session tasked the Ministry of Civil Affairs to publish a public job vacancy ad for selection and appointment of Manager of the BIH Anti-Doping Control Agency, based on the Law on Ministerial Appointments, Appointments to Council of Ministers and Other Appointments in BIH.
According to earlier adopted reports on public job vacancy ad procedure for selection and appointment of Manager the Agency for Anti-Doping Control of BIH, two out of three applied candidates have not met conditions, while the third one have not turned up to an interview, rendering the procedure unsuccessful.
Nikola Čiča was appointed acting Manager of the Anti-Doping Control Agency of BIH until the end of job vacancy procedure, for three months at longest.
CONSENT GRANTED FOR VOTE BY CIITZENS FO SERBIA AND EGYPT IN BIH
The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent for organisation of vote by citizens of the Republic of Serbia staying in territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the occasion of the Parliamentarian Elections in the Republic of Serbia.
Citizens of the Republic of Serbia may vote on Dec. 17, 2023 from 7.00 to 20.00 hrs at 18 sites in BIH, including the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Sarajevo, General Consulate Offices in Banja Luka and Mostar, and branch offices thereof in Drvar and Trebinje, and designated premises in Višegrad, Doboj, Bratunac, Bijeljina, Prijedor, Lopare, Zvornik, Mrkonjić Grad, and Pale.
Also, a consent was granted for organisation of vote by citizens of the Arab Republic of Egypt staying in territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the occasion of the presidential Elections in Egypt.
Citizens of the Arab Republic of Egypt will be able to vote in BIH on December 1-3, 2023, at 9.00-12.00 hrs in the premises of the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt. (end)