Sjednice
Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 16th Session
06/26/2023
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Loan Agreement (Air Quality Improvement Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and development, worth USD 50 mil.
The project aims strengthening of monitoring and air quality monitoring, as well as decrease of air polluter emissions, stemming from households heating and from transport sector in the Federation of BIH.
The Federation of BIH-allocated loan has 31.5 year term, including eight year grace period.
The proposal loan Agreement will be passed to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, with a proposal for the Minister of Finance and Treasury to act as the BIH signatory thereof.
TO STEP-UP PUBLIC ADMINISTRTION REFORM IN BIH
The Council of Ministers granted its consent to Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BH Borjana Krišto to sign a Joint Platform on Principles and Ways of Bosnia and Herzegovina Public Administration Reform Implementation, with certain supplements made at the session.
A piece of information was previously adopted from the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office on preparation of the Platform, aimed at acceleration of the BIH Public Administration Reform.
The Joint Platform represents a political and legal cooperation framework for all-level stakeholders involved in the public administration reform process. The document should respond to the European Commission request as to establishment of a body for political coordination in this matter. The political coordination wests with the Coordination Board for Public Administration Reform, comprised of the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers, Prime Ministers of the Federation of BIH and Republika Srpska, respectively, and Major of the Brčko District of BIH, in addition to representatives of the Government of the Brčko District of BIH and line Ministers from all levels of authority, depending of the item discussed, and with regard taken of ethnic representation of all constitutive people in BIH.
WESTERN BALKANS DIGITAL SUMMIT IN BIH
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to approve funds form the current budget reserves of BIH Institutions to the Ministry of Communications and Transport in amount of KM 350,000.
The funds are intended for financing the organisation of the 2023 Western Balkans Digital Summit, to take place in Sarajevo in October 2023. Under a document “Joint Regional Acton” (Common Regional Market - CRM) and the belonging Action Plan, adopted in Sofia on November 10, 1020, the Western Balkan economies committed to work jointly on integration of the region into the Pan-European digital zone.
Hosts fo the previous summits were Skoplje (2018), Belgrade (2019), Tirana (2020), Podgorica (2021) and Priština (2022), while Bosnia and Herzegovina is the host for this year.
OBLIGATIONS BY GOVEMEMENT OF FEDERATION OF BIH AND TUZLA CANTON AS TO ARBITRAGE PROCEDURE IN FILE GKIL ltd. LUKAVAC
The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina considered a request for a piece of information on an arbitrage procedure launched by claimant Pramod Mittal and others against Bosnia and Herzegovina, in addition to a piece of information on earlier signed agreements noted in of the Council of Ministers of BIH conclusions from the 3rd session held on March 16, 2023.
The Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH was tasked to urge immediately, after the Council of Ministers session, the Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Tuzla Canton about their obligation stemming from Article 29 of the Law on Conclusion and Execution of International Treaties, since obligations from the relevant arbitrage procedure bind them, making them responsible for concluding a modified proposal agreement on international rights and obligations as to arbitrage procedure in matter GKIL Ltd. Lukavac, by claimants Pramod Mittal, Sangeeta Mittal, Sristi Mittal and Divyyesh against claimed Bosnia and Herzegovina, and to report to the Council of Ministers accordingly, five days at latest from the day of presenting this conclusion.
The Government of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Tuzla Canton are urged to get actively involved and take all needed activities together with the Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH towards solving the relevant arbitrage procedure for the sake of protection of legal and financial interests, having regard of seriousness of possible consequences to the Government of the Federation of BIH and Tuzla Canton from the relevant procedure, referred to in item 1 of the conclusion.
Upon realisation of previous conclusions, the Council of Ministers will reconsider a piece of information of the Chief Attorney’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH should provide a detailed piece of information on results of a status conference, scheduled for June 6, 2023.
It is about an arbitrage procedure launched by claimants Pramod Mittal, Sangeeta Mittal, Varitka Mittal Shristi Mittal and Divyesh Mittal against clamed Bosnia and Herzegovina concerning an investment by the claimants to a company Global Ispat Cox Industry Ltd. Lukavac and actions by the Tuzla Canton authorities which the claimants hold to be contrary to provisions of an Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of India on Investments Promotion and Protection.
The claimants have not stated the value of indemnification claim against Bosnia and Herzegovina, rather leaving it for the sequel of the procedure.
The previous governments of the Federation of BIH and of Tuzla Canton refused to conclude a proposal agreement on mutual rights and obligations, drafted by the BIH Chief Attorney’s Office.
SECURED DEFICIENT FUNDS FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTERS SERVICE DIGITALISATION
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Communications and Transport-proposed decision on amendments and supplements to a Decision on inclusion of BIH public radio-TV broadcasters into a 2011-2014 Multi-Annual Capital Investments Programme.
This way, the value of the BIH public radio-TV broadcasters digitalisation projects is increased for KM 63,000 and it amounts to KM 36,977,000, and additional funds will be secured by expenditures restructuring within the Ministry of Communications and Transport 2023 budget.
The funds are needed for finalisation of an international open public procurement procedure for equipment for digital transfer and broadcast for the Public Radio-TV Broadcasters Digitalisation Project in BIH.
The provision of the missing funds will enable finalisation of the procurement procedure for the second and third phase of digitalisation of public radio-TV broadcasters in BIH, under offered price, which is not a considerably high price, pursuant to the Law on Public Procurement.
PROGRAMME OF MARKING SIGNIFICANT DATES FROM HUMAN RIGHTS RESPECT
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees-proposed decision to grant its consent to a programme of marking of dates significant for human rights respect in BIH Institutions for year 2023.
The programme is set on annual level, in cooperation with competent authorities, institutions, civil associations, and relevant NGOs.
PIECE OF INFORMATION ADOPTED ON MIGRATIONS FOR 2023 QI
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information on migrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina for time period of January 1 - March 31, 2023, to be passed by the Ministry of Security to the BIH Presidency and Parliamentarian Assembly Joint Committee for Defence and Security.
Total 5,201 illegal migrant were registered by the Foreigners Affairs Service during the first quarter 2023. The data include individual registered after their illegal entry to BIH territory, and those who stayed after their visa or stay permit expired.
The data for the first three months of this year compared to those for the same period of the previous year indicate that a double number of illegal migrants were registered in BIH, where spent less time, opting for a quick transfer through BIH to reach the Schengen zone, in which they often by-pass accommodation centres available.
Out of total number of illegal migrants registered in the first quarter this year, 2,050 individuals or 507 more were registered this March, than this February (1,543).
Citizens of Afghanistan make up 45.7% of total registered illegal migrants, followed by citizens of Morocco (14%), Cuba (9.6%9, DR Congo (5.6%), and Pakistan (3.7%).
In four temporary accommodation centres (total capacity for 4.8890 individuals) 873 individuals stayed at average in the first quarter 2023, while in the same time period last year there were 2,036. As at March 31, 2023, there 1,104 individuals staying in the centres.
An intention to file for asylum was stated by 4,663 individuals in the first quarter of 2023, of which 42 or 0.90% filled for it.
The BIH Border Police registered 2,451 individual in illegal border crossing or an attempted one in January-March 2023, which is a double figure in respect to the same time period 2022, when 1,008 individuals were detected.
MIGRATION PROFILE ADOPTED
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Security-tabled Migration Profile of Bosnia and Herzegovina for year 2022, which enables an insight into key migration trends.
By annual up-dating its Migration Profile, Bosnia and Herzegovina meets one among its obligations concerning liberalisation of the visa regime.
The Migration Profile indicates that BIH diplomatic-consular offices issued 22.765 visas last year, more than in 2021, when 18,427 visas were issued.
Total 27 visas were issued at border-crossings last year, and in 0221, there were only seven.
The BIH Border Police refused 2,549 entries to BIH last year, which is a decrease for 49.4%, compared to 2021 when 5,038 entries were rejected.
The number of detected illegal border crossings last year was 14,309 (7,427 illegal entries and 6,882 illegal exits from BIH), as increased for 62% relatively to the year before when they were 8,834.
Foreigners in BIH were approved 11.188 temporary stays in 2022, while in the reported time period 390 permanent stays in BIH for foreigners were approved, compared to 417 in 2021.
The number of cancelled non-visa or temporary stays was 514, which is an increase relative to 444 year before. Also, 50 permanent stays were cancelled last year, and in 2021 they were 62.
Last year saw increased number of decisions on expulsion for 23.16%, and it was 1,638, while in 2021 there were 1,330.
Total 714 foreigners were put under surveillance with the Immigration Centre in 2022, which is more for 16.6% relative to 2021 when they were 612.
Seven conclusions on expulsion approval were made in 2022, and only one was made in 2021.
In accordance to readmission agreements, 628 BIH citizens were admitted last year. Also under the Readmission Agreement with the Republic of Croatia, 836 citizens of the third countries were admitted in 2022, which is an increase for 46.67% in respect to the year before when the number was 570 foreign citizens.
TEMPORARY SUSPENSION REMAINS
The Council of Ministers took unanimously a decision rejecting a request for rescind of temporary suspension to Deputy Director of the Common Affairs Service of BIH Institutions Dragan Šojić, in accordance to the Law on Civil Service in BIH.
Request for rescind of the temporary suspension, was filled by Dragan Šojić via his attorney Dragiša Jokić.
CONSENT FOR APPOINTMENT OF DEFENCE ATTACHÉ
Upon a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Council of Ministers of BIH granted several consents for appointment of three defence attachés, namely, for colonel Petar Ružička to the post of defence attaché of the Czech Republic in BIH; for colonel Jacobus Franciscus Florian Fleischemann for defence attaché of the Kingdom of Norway for BIH, seated in Skoplje; and for colonel Reta Rusch for the post of defence attaché of the Swiss Confederation for Bosnia and Herzegovina, seated in Belgrade.
APPOINTMENTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH endorsed an Opinion by the Civil Service Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina and appointed Milica Ristović Krstić for Director of the Institute for Measurement of BIH, as the most successful candidate at the completed public job vacancy ad.
The session adopted a report by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on completed procedure for selection and appointment of Director and Deputy Director of the Identification Documents, Evidence and Data Exchange Agency (IDDEEA), thus Almir Badnjević was appointed Director, as the best ranked candidate at the job vacancy ad procedure, and Petar Bilčar for Deputy Director, also the best ranked candidate for the post, both for a five-year term.
Earlier, due to term expiry, previous IDDEEA Director Arif Nanić was released from his duty. (end)