Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 12th Session

SUPPPORT TO FLOODED AREAS 

 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to approve KM one million from current Budget reserves for rehabilitation from floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina, so KM 500,000 is approved each to the Federation of BIH and in Republika Srpska to the most threatened municipalities and towns in each.

The division of funds will be decided upon subsequently under another decision, in accordance with the level of effects and priorities to be defined by the Ministry of Security of BIH, in cooperation with responsible Entity institutions.

FINANCING OF DEVELOPMENT POLICIES OF BIH HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Loan Agreement for development policy of health sectors in Bosnia and Herzegovina, between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, with a Platform for tis conclusion.

 The basic aim of the Programme is to finance the development policy (DPF1) for health sector in amount of EUR 92.3 million (equivalent USD 100 million), which is a key part of an overall reform programme for long-term financial sustainability of the health care system in BIH  and improvement of health care services and health outcomes.

The loan proceeds will be allocated to the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in amount of EUR 55,380,000 and to Republika Srpska in amount of EUR 36.920,000. The loan term is 18 years, including a five-year grace period.

The Proposal Loan Agreement will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the BIH Minister of Finance and Treasury will be the BIH signatory.

RATIFICATION OF ANNEX AGREEMENT BETWEEN BIH AND CROATIA ON MAINTENANCE AND RECONSTRUCTION OF ROAD BRIDGES           

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Decision on Ratification of Annex Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Croatia on maintenance and reconstruction of road bridges at the state border.

The Annex Agreement was signed in Zagreb on March 21, 2023 by Minister of Communications and Transport Edin Forto and Minister of Sea, Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Croatia Oleg Butković. It enables inclusion of bridges near Gradiška and Svilaj among bridges referred in the Agreement.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH will provide the Proposal Decision to the BIH Presidency for further ratification procedure.

RATIFICATION OF EU ENERGY SUPPORT PACKAGE TO BIH

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Ratification Decision on Financial Agreement for the Package for Energy Support for the Western Balkans 2023 Bosnia and Herzegovina Annual Action Plan, between the European Union, represented by the European Commission and Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Council of Ministers Directorate for European Integrations.

The Agreement on financing annual action plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023, attached to the Energy Support Package to the Western Balkans, valued at EUR 70 million and fully financed by the European Union, aims the mitigation socio-economic consequences of energy crisis causing the growth of energy prices, in addition to encouraging sustainable economy on the principle of law carbon emissions and resilience to climate changes.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH will provide the Proposal Decision on Ratification of the Agreement to the BIH Presidency for further ratification procedure.

PAYMENT OF NON-DISTRIBUTED GRANT FUDNS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF SVILAJ-ODŽAK ROAD SECTION ON CORRIDOR Vc

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Finance and Treasury-proposed decision on payment of non-distributed grant funds under an Investment Grant Agreement, concluded between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Investment Bank, on April 27, 2017 for the Corridor V c Project “Construction of Svilaj-Odžak road section”.

The decision approves the payment the remaining grant funds in amount of EUR 3,314,746.34, converted to KM.

Under the Decision, a part of funds, in amount of EUR 1,432,753.58, referring to expenses of construction of a part of motorway from Svilaj to Odžak, are to be distributed to the implementation agency the Public Company “Motorways of Federation of BIH”.

Other part of funds, in amount of EUR 1,868,950.56, relating to costs of construction of interstate bridge across the Sava River at northern border with Croatia, is distributed to the BIH Ministry of Communications and Transport, the implementation agency, and the rest of funds in amount of EUR 13,042.20 referring to costs of construction of the Svilaj border crossing will be directed to the implementation agency BIH Indirect Taxation Administration.

Total grant funds are EUR 20,757,726.52, and totally distributed thus far was EUR 17,442,980-18.

REGULATION ON LOOKS OF POLICE UNIFORM ADOPTED

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Security-proposed Rulebook on looks of police uniform, regulating the look of BIH police officers uniforms, in terms of its constituent parts, colour, kind of fibre and amount of uniforms, including procedure as to its taking-up, conditions for replacement and deadline for its use.

The Regulation, made in eight chapters and three annexes, numbered kinds and parts of uniform, as well as descriptions, and annexes contain technical features, visual looks, quantities, and deadlines for use of uniforms.

PIECE OF INFORMATION ON USE OF CURRENT RESERVES IN 2022

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information on distribution and use of 2022 Budget current reserve funds, and tasked the proposing agency, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to provide it to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly.

The piece of information suggests that under the Law on Budget of Bosnia and Herzegovina Institutions and International Obligations of BIH for 2022, planned were reserve funds in amount of KM 18,842.000, of which total KM 18,699,672.00 were approved and KM 18, 093,293.00 implemented.

Within the rest of funds in amount of KM 748,706.10, there are approved but non-realised funds in amount of KM 606,378,10.

The Council of Ministers of BIH approved current reserve funds funds as follows: KM 3,050,000 for rehabilitation from earthquake in Herzegovina, precisely in Stolac, Ljubinje and Berkovići and for support to family of killed Emina Spaho form Stolac; KM 300,000 to the BIH Red Cross for support to Ukraine in terms of medicines and other amenities; KM 300,000 for costs for the WB and IMF Constituency meeting in Sarajevo, on September 15 and 16; and KM 200,000 to Basketball Association of BIH for financing preparations of BIH national selection and purchase of air plane tickets for participation at international contests.

The current reserve funds used based on several decisions by the BIH Presidency for year 2022 were KM 360,000.

ADOPTED PIECE OF INFORAMTION ON COMMUNICATION STRATEGY ACTION PLAN REALISATION 

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Directorate for European Integrations-tabled piece of information on implementation of the Council of Ministers Action Plan for implementation of a Communication Strategy for Public Awareness Raising on the process of Bosnia and Herzegovina accession to the European Union for year 2022.

The 2022 Action Plan level of realisation, calculated based on data on 72 activities reported by Institutions to the Directorate for European Integrations was 80%. The publishing marked the highest score of non-realised activities (40%), and the most often reason for the failure was the lack of finances.

PIECE OF INFORMATION ON RELIASED ACTIVITIES WITHIN DEVELOPEMNT OF BIH EU INTEGRATIONS PROGRAMME

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Directorate for European Integrations piece of information on realised activities within development of a Programme of Integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the European Union, and took note of a Report on realised activities within development of Bosnia and Herzegovina EU Integration programme.

All responsible institutions of BIH are tasked, and Entity, Cantonal and Brčko District of BIH Governments were urged to finalise as soon as possible their planned activities on development of Bosnia and Herzegovina Plan of Integration to the European Union.

An achievement of better results in coordination mechanism, including development of the Programme for BIH integration into the European Union, fall one among 14 key priorities from the European Commission Opinion on Bosnia and Herzegovina’s application for membership in the European Union, and which were repeated on the occasion of recommendation of the  awarding the candidate status to BIH.

FINAL CONFERENCE OF REGIONAL HOUSING PROGRAMME IN SARAJEVO

The Council of Ministers of BIH considered a piece of information of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refuges on the up-coming international conference “Final Conference of the Regional Housing Programme 2”, to be held in Sarajevo.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BIH is tasked to form and run an ad hoc body for prearrangement of the Conference, to be comprised of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Affairs’ Service of BIH.

The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees is tasked to continue coordination activities with representatives of counties of the region and partner international organisations for the aim of successful implementation of activates towards the organisation of the Final Conference of the Regional Housing Programme in Sarajevo, including development of a joint action plan and the Conference budget, to be proposed to international organisations for financing.

The Ministry of Human Rights and Refuges will inform the Council of Ministers of BIH, by September 30, at latest, on implemented activities for preparation of the conference, and will report the results of the Conference at least 30 day form its end.

APPOINTMENTS

The Council of Ministers of BIH appointed, upon a proposal of the Indirect Taxation Administration Steering Board, Zoran Tegeltija as new Director of the Indirect Taxation Administration of BIH for a four year term, starting from June 23, 2023. A decision was taken on release of the current director Mira Džakula due to her mandate expiry, and it will take effect on June 14, 2023.

The Council of Ministers appointed Sanjin Hadžimerović for Acting Deputy Director of the Agency for Air Navigation Services of BIH, for Support Sector Manager. (end)