Sjednice
Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 16th Session
09/10/2020
The Council of Ministers took a resolution on additional conditions for foreigners’ entering to BIH, according to which BIH borders are open for all foreign citizens, under conditions of holding a negative coronavirus test not older than 48 hours.
The foreigners fulfilling the conditions for entering BIH, set forth by the Law on Foreigners, may enter Bosnia and Herzegovina after having presented a negative PSCR test to virus SARS-COV-2, not older than 48 hours as at the moment of entering Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The resolution took effect immediately, and will be applied at border crossings starting from Saturday, September 12, 2020 at 6.00 hrs.
The Council of Ministers took a solution invalidating a decision on temporary cessation of visa issuance in diplomatic-consular officers of BIH. This enabled foreign citizens who for entering BIH require visa, to fill-in visa applications, and diplomatic-consular offices may continue admitting and processing visa applications.
Plan Defined for Cadets Admission to Border Police
The Council of Ministers of BH took the Ministry of Security-proposed decision on a plan of admission of border police cadets at the level of Bosnia and Herzegovina Institutions in 2020, confirming the employment of 300 cadets with the Border Police of BIH by the end of April 2022.
According the plan, the first group of 125 cadets for the rank of policemen and 25 cadets for the rank of junior inspector should start education on January 1, 2021, and are expected to get employed in September 2021 (policemen) and May 2021 (junior inspectors).
The second group, comprises of 125 cadets for the rank of policemen and 25 cadets for the rank of junior inspector should start education on October 1, 2021 and should get employed in May 2022 (policemen), and February (junior inspectors)
The European Commission approved KM 2.250.000 for basic training costs for the BIH Border Police 300 cadets, under the IPA Special Measures Project of migrations management assistance to BIH. The funds will be operational in September 2020.
Approved KM 1.5 Million for Infrastructure Projects in Srebrenica
The Council of Ministers of BIH approved KM 1.5 million from the current budget reserves to support unanimously adopted infrastructure projects in the Municipality of Srebrenica. This is a remaining part of KM 2 million pledged Council of Ministers development assistance to the Municipality of Srebrenica, announced at November 2015 Investment-Development Conference “Possibilities and Perspectives of Srebrenica Development 2015”, for which purposes KM 500,000 was approved in September 2018.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury is in charge to realise the decision, in cooperation with the Legislation Office and Chairman Office.
KM Two Million for Annex VII Projects Funding
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a resolution on reallocation of KM two million from the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees budget to the Fund for Return.
The funds were intended for realisation of projects in connection with the Dayton Peace Agreement Annex VII.
The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees BIH, Federal Ministry for Displaced Persons and Refugee, Republic Secretariat for Displaced Persons and Migrations of Republika Srpska, Brčko District Government, and BIH Fund for Return signed an Agreement on joining and use of funds for carrying out rights set under the Dayton Peace Agreement Annex VII in year 2020.
The total amount of funds joined under the Agreement is KM 2,125,000.00, and will be spent to projects of electrification of housing units of displaced persons and returnees, as well as to communal utility and social infrastructure reconstruction and development in the areas populated by displaced persons and returnees. The projects will be approved by the Committee for Refugees and Displaced Persons of BIH.
Finance Agreement with IFAD for Agricultural Development
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Finance Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) for a Rural Enterprises and Agricultural Development Project (READP), worth EUR 11,787,000.
The project, aiming to the living standard in the project-specific areas will be implemented throughout BIH territory, namely, in 90 municipalities divided into 10 clusters. It will consolidate small producers and their joint ventures to contribute easier market access and new jobs. The expected outcomes are the increased production, profitability and engagement of youth in the agribusiness.
A benefit is expected to 8,650 direct beneficiaries from targeted households, in addition to almost 5,000 indirect beneficiaries due to favourable infrastructure investment.
The EUR 11,787,000 loan is allocated to the Federation of BIH in 60% share (EUR 7,062,200) and Repubika Srpska in 40% (EUR 4,724,800) share.
The loan term is 18 years with a three-year grace period and interest rate equal to annual IFAD referent interest rate.
The project w<s planned to last five years.
Environment Protection
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Resolution on ratification of Amendment to Montreal Protocol on Substances That Deplete the Ozone Layer (Kigali Amendment). It is the Amendment on gradual reduction of consumption of hydroflourocarbons (HFCs).
This way BIH takes an important step in implementation of the environmental protection-related EU acquis and creates conditions for the sustainable development of BIH economy.
Ratifying the Amendment, BIH will, as a developing country, establish the subject substances import and export permission and relevant consumption reporting systems. Control measures will also be introduced, pertaining to setting base consumption for 2020-2022 and freezing the level defined until 2024.
The proposal decision will be sent to the BIH presidency for further ratification procedure.
Loan for Sarajevo Public City Transport
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Initiative of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BIH, and designated a negotiating team for negotiations for conclusion of a Finance Contract (Sarajevo Public city Transport) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Investment Bank, in amount of EUR 35 million.
The Sarajevo Public City Transport Project implementation was planned for reconstruction of trolleybus grid for Vogošća, renewal of tramway tracks for Hrasnica and construction of South Longitudinal road communication. The Project aims to improve the quality of public passenger line transport, environmental protection, transport staff safety and increase of economic competitiveness.
The loan will be allocated to the Federation of BIH.
Activity Plan for Development of Economic Reforms Programme
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted 2021-2023 Western Balkans and Turkey Economic Reforms Programmes Action Plan and Guidelines.
The Directorate for Economic Planning, as the BIH-level coordinator of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021-2023 Economic Reforms Programme, should implement, in cooperation with Republika Srpska and the Federation of BIH coordinators, the Action Plan and should develop, pursuant to the Guidelines, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021-2023 Economic Reforms Programme.
The Directorate for Economic Planning will inform all responsible institutions on an obligation to implement the Action Plan of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2021-2023 Economic Reforms Programme, in line with the Guidelines.
It is ahead of BIH Institutions for develop Bosna and Herzegovina Economic Reforms Programme for 2021-2023 (PER 2021-2023), which represents an up-graded version of the Economic and Fiscal Programme (EFP), submitted by counties-potential candidates for the EU membership. The Economic Reforms Programme should include a mid-term macro-economic framework and fiscal policy framework, including fiscal measures, as well as a comprehensive structural reforms programme aiming improvement of growth and competitiveness of the country. The document should be submitted to the European Commission by January 31, 2021 at latest.
Institutions’ Action during COVID-19 Pandemics
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision, proposed by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BIH, on actions by Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and rights and obligations of employees in Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemics.
The decision sets in more detail rights and obligations of employees having been confirmed COIVD-19 infection, as well as of those having been in contact with the infected persons. Also an obligation was set for to adhere to all epidemiologic measures, including the control of adherence thereto. The decision allows a possibility for an institution, depending of the outbreak threat, to organise operations in an amended regime, but with a legal obligation to secure the timely implementation of its legal competences. Institutions’ managers are obliged to take internal procedures to regulate more precisely relevant issues for operations of the institutions during the epidemics, including the rights of employees during the relevant period of time.
Amended Decisions on Allocation of Funds Collected for Suppression of Covid-19
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Security-proposed decision on amendments of a decision on allocation of finances collected from domestic natural persons for the purpose of curbing-up COVID-19 pandemics, paid to a special sub-account of the Single Treasury Account of Bosnia and Herzegovina, along with a decision on amendments of a decision of allocation of international assistance finances for protection and recue, paid to the special sub-account of the Single Treasury Account of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The amendments refer to funds payment and reporting. Under the amended decisions, the Ministry of Security of BIH and Ministry of Finance and Treasury are responsible for funds payment, and the Ministry of Security is responsible for reporting the decisions implementation to the Council of Ministers of BIH.
Consent to Agreement concerning KM 51 Million-worth Arbitrage Proceeding
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information from the BIH Attorney’s Office on realisation of a conclusion from the 8th session of the Council of Ministers, held on June 11, 2020, in connection to an arbitrage proceeding in an amount higher than KM 51 million.
A consent was granted to an Agreement on mutual rights and obligations between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of Republika Srpska concerning an arbitrage proceeding, worth KM 51,294,000, in case of claim by claimants Neet Gupte, Naveen Aggarwatla and “Usha Industries”, INC against Bosnia and Herzegovina for indemnity in connection to claimants investment to the “Krajina Osiguranje” (insurance company), INC Banja Luka, according United Nations Committee for International Trade Right rules (UNCITRAL rules). Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Zoran Tegeltija is authorised to sign the Agreement.
The BIH Attorney’s Office is tasked to provide the Agreement to the Government of Republika Srpska for signing.
Realisation of Housing Programme
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an implementation report for a Framework Agreement between the Council of Europe development Bank (CEB) and Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning the Regional Housing Programme.
The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BIH, as the leading institution, is in charge to continue, in cooperation with responsible Ministries and other bodies, ensuring required human resources, including supplies and finances for the implementation costs.
The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BIH will make and present to the Council of Ministers of BIH an assessment of missing contributions, and will, in cooperation with the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, develop modalities of securing missing resources to the end of the project implementation, planned for June 2022.
The Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees is responsible to report to the Council of Ministers regularly on the progress in implementation of the State Housing Project within the Regional Housing Programme.
The Regional Housing Programme is a joint initiative of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, and the Republic of Serbia, the aim of which is to contribute systematically to solving a long-standing refugee situation, as a consequence of 1991-1995 clashes in the territory of ex-Yugoslavia.
The BIH State Housing Project within the Regional Housing Programme originally aimed to secure housing for 5,400 families or 14,000 refugees and displaced persons. The State Housing Project/Regional Housing Programme were in original volume evaluated at about KM 200 million, which is 17% of the original joint Programme costs.
Consent for Appointment of Attaché
The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent for appointment of Senior Sergeant Filip Jedrychowski for Assistant Military Attaché of the Republic of Austria for Bosnia and Herzegovina, seated in Sarajevo, and for appointment of Colonel Andrew Tait for Defence Attaché of the United Kingdom in BIH, seated in Sarajevo.