Sjednice
Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 33rd Session
12/20/2023
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information by the Ministry of Justice on a procedure of collective negotiation and striking collective contract between employees in BIH Institutions and Council of Ministers of BIH, and took a decision on appointment of a negotiating team.
The negotiating team includes representatives from the state Ministries of Justice, Finance and Treasury, Security, Civil Affairs and State Investigations and Protection Agency.
The negotiating team representing the employer, Council of Ministers, will hold negotiations on a proposal collective contract with authorised representatives of trade unions, including the Civil Servants and Employees Trade Union, Indirect Taxation Authority Trade Union, and Police Bodies Trade Union.
A deadline for presenting agreed text collective contract to the Council of Ministers of BIH is six months from this decision taking effect.
The Council of Ministers will consider the Proposal Collective Contract and reflect on it within 60 days from the date of submission of an agreed to text contract.
CUSTOMS FREE IMPORT OF FERTILIZERS: SECURED CONTINUITY OF FACILITATION
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-proposed decision to open temporary tariff quotas for import of mineral fertilizers, as a support to farmers in BIH, against global procurement disturbances and price rise.
The decision enables a temporary, until the depletion of qualities defined under the Decision, but by December 31, 2023, at latest, free of charge import of total 370m tonnes of mineral fertilizers classified into seven tariff marks of origin. The decision also defined application of temporary quotes and distribution.
The basic criterion for free of charge import of mineral fertilizers is that it is an import of mineral fertilizers needed by farmers, as end-users in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The decision was taken in order to secure on time additionally kinds and more quantities of mineral fertilizers for farmers to enable implementation appropriate agro technical measures, primarily for grain and other cultures supplement.
This provides for a continuity of relieves for farmers, after the Council of Ministers had approved free of charge import of mineral fertilizers in 2022 and 2023.
EU STANDARDS: BIH AND SERBIA STRENGTHEN BORDER CONTROL COOPERATION
A proposal Platform was defined and delegation appointed for negotiations and conclusion of an Agreement on Amendments and Supplements of Agreement between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of the Republic of Serbia on border crossings.
Thus, planned was a new border crossing Rača – Sremska Rača to be open for transport of passengers and all kind of goods, taking regard of the European Union standards relating to border crossings and joint border control.
Also a Proposal Platform was defined and negotiating team appointed for conclusion of Annex to Agreement between Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Serbia on joint sites at border crossings for the joint site at Rača-Sremska Rača border crossing.
It will simplify and accelerate border controls for the benefit of citizens and business community, and will advance activities on prevention of all kinds of cross-border crime and illegal migrations, in line with the European standards.
Several Proposal Platforms will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Security will be the BIH signatory thereof.
RATIFICATION OF PROTOCOL WITH INTERBUS AGREEMENT
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined and will pass to the BIH Presidency a Proposal Decision on Ratification of a Protocol to Agreement on international temporary passenger transport by passenger and ordinary buses (INTERBUS Agreement), in connection with international line and special line passenger transport by passenger and ordinary buses, signed on Oct. 20, 2022 in Brussels.
The aim of the Protocol is a liberalisation of international road line passenger transport between the European Union members and third countries, signatories of INTERBUS Agreement.
SUPPORT TO SPORT, CULTURE AND DISEASE PREVENTION
The Council of Ministers took six decisions to allocate the Ministry of Civil Affairs grant in 2023 for support to projects in culture, innovations, project preparation for Horizon Europa Fund and for co-financing of NGO projects for HIV and TBC prevention in BIH.
It is about the following: a decision on allocation of funds from the current grant “International Cultural Cooperation” for 2023; decision on allocation of grant funds from “Co-Financing of projects by institutions of culture in Bosnia and Herzegovina” for 2023; and decision on allocation of grant funds from “Co-Financing of NGOs projects in prevention of HIV and TBC and addiction in Bosnia and Herzegovina” for 2023, in addition to a decision on distribution of current grant funds from “Programmes for preparation of projects and potential candidate projects for Fund HORIZON Europa” for 2023; decision on allocation of grant funds from “Support to technical culture and innovations in Bosnia and Herzegovina” for 2023; and decision on allocation of funds for the current grant “Co-Financing of Sports Events” for 2023.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN TRADE AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS GRANTS: SUPPORT TO ECONOMY IN BIH
The Council of Ministers took the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-proposed decision on allocation of grant funds for support to fair and other events and activities in country, along with a decision on allocation of grant funds for support of fair and other events and activities abroad.
This ensured financial support to organisers of fair and other events in country and abroad, aimed at promotion and development of economy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023.
MINISTRY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND REFUGEES GRANTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on allocation of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees of BIH grants for 2023.
The funds were secured from current transfers, grants and other current expenditures in the Ministry’s budget.
The “”Current Transfers to Other Authority Levels” funds were allocated for Roma housing, employment, health care and education, and for implementation of Cooperation with Emigration Policy, to local governments.
Also “Grant to Non-profit Organisations” funds were allocated to organisation of disabled persons, national minority associations, associations of families of missing persons in BIH, and to human rights organisations for promotion of human rights implementation in BIH.
Grant funds were allocated to associations and foundations from Bosnia and Herzegovina in accordance with criteria defined under this decision.
CoM SUSPENDS TEMPORARY FEE TO SUPPORT TO AIRPORTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent to a Decision on Supplement to Decision on Fee Level to Aircraft Operators by passenger and tonne of goods/cargo transported on departure from airports in Bosnia and Herzegovina, took by the BIH Directorate for Civil Aviation.
The Supplement to Decision suspends temporarily, over a 12-month time period, starting from January 1, 2024, the fee payment by aircraft operators by transported passenger and tonne of cargo in departure from BIH airports.
The Parliamentarian Assembly House of Representatives required the issue-solving from the Council of Ministers, since low cost air companies had announced withdrawal from BIH airports, which would consequently decrease number of passengers in BIH.
The suspension of fees by passenger/tonne of cargo in 2024 will decrease revenues to the Directorate for Civil Aviation of BIH in estimated KM 3.3 million over the relevant period of time.
Therefore the Council of Ministers required operators from international airports in BIH to provide an analysis of impact of non-application of the Decision on fee to aircraft operators to the Ministry of Communications and Transport of BIH and BHDCA for the first half of 2024.
The Directorate for Civil Aviation should provide to the Council of Ministers, via the Ministry of Communications and Transport, by September 30, 2024, a piece of information on financial effects of the Decision on Fee Suspension, including on eventual increase of transport on each international airport and operation of international airports.
TO ADVANCE AND ACCELERATE BORDER CONTROLS
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Security-proposed Decision to approve a multi-annual BIH Border Police project “Financing Extension and Maintenance Services of Video-Surveillance Integrated System and Car Licence Plates Automatic Recognition at BIH Border Crossings”, valued total at KM 3.3 million.
The funds will be successively provided over 2024-2026 from the BIH Institutions Budget.
Earlier, the Council of Ministers adopted the Ministry of Security piece of information on establishment of the Video-Surveillance Integrated System and Car Licence Plates Automatic Recognition at BIH Border Crossings, facilitated through IPA 2015 State Programme.
These systems are relevant for more effective and faster check of individuals and vehicles for the purpose of detection of possible crime or offence perpetrators and for acceleration of passenger and vehicles control on crossing state border.
MINIMUM FUNDS AMOUNT FOR FOREIGNERS STAYING IN BIH
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Security-proposed Decision on the least amount of funds required for maintenance of a foreigner during his intended stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2024.
The least amount of funds a foreigner has to have at his disposal on entering BIH in 2024 is KM 150 for each day of intended stay, or counter value in foreign convertible currency; the amount is the same as last year.
TO STRENGTHEN CAPACITY FOR MIGRATIONS AND ASYLUM MANAGEMENT
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information on staff replenishment and provision of material-technical requisites in the Ministry of Security sectors and administrative organisations responsible for migrations; the piece of information will be provided to the BIH Presidency, which required it.
The piece of information emphasises the importance of a systemic strengthening of material and human capacities in migrations and asylum-managing bodies, in accordance with migrations and asylum related strategic aims and the European Commission documents.
Timely budgeting, faster hiring and replenishment of vacancies, as well as amendment of the existing rulebooks on internal organisation for the aim of securing additional staff, are some of measures to be realised in the coming period of time.
According to the piece of information, relevant institutions and agencies have worked under conditions of insufficient staffing, due to lack of material –technical assets, slow in-coming of newcomers and limited budget funds.
Total 3,949 work posts was planned in the Ministry of Security Migrations and Asylum Sectors, Border Police of BIH, Foreigner Affairs Service and State Investigations and Protection Agency, and total 3020 was replenished. In the reported period of time, total 929 posts remain vacant, 601 with the BIH Border Police and 225 with SIPA.
TO DRAFT DECISION ON CORRECTION OF WORK TIME
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Civil Affairs piece of information on a need for correction of work time in Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs, in cooperation with the Ministry of Justice, will table a proposal decision on work time in the Council of Ministers, Ministries and other bodies of the Council of Ministers of BIH, in next 30-day time, defining the work time from 8.00 to 16.00, with exception of the BIH Agency for Staff Education and Expert Up-Grading, BIH Demining Centre, and Indirect Taxation Administration, which will , due to peculiarity of their operations, harmonise their work time to requirements of both institutions and service-users.
Total 55 institutions (65%) out of 84 at state level (including trade unions), which took part at pooling run by the Ministry of Civil Affairs, supported the proposed work time from 8.00 to 16.00 hrs, eight responded negatively and 21 failed to reflect on the proposal.
HIGH QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Civil Affairs-tabled piece of information on implementation of Policy Recommendations for Acting on Road Map for improvement of inclusive education in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with corrections made at the session.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH should cooperate with other competent education institutions in BIH and other key actors to secure necessary conditions and resources for the 3rd phase of the European Union and Council of Europe Joint Action on “High Quality Education for All”.
Thus way BIH confirms its dedication to an effective application of Policy Recommendations for Road Map Activities towards Improvement of Inclusive Education in BIH, earlier adopted by the Council of Ministers of BIH.
The piece of information reviews activities completed over the previous two phases, when a foundation was laid for incorporation of the Referent Framework of Competences for Democratic Culture in Education Systems in BIH.
INCREASED ODA ASSISTANCE LAST YEAR
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted, in a new text, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury-tabled Report “Development Partners Activity Review 2022”.
Total allocated official assistance (ODA) for Bosnia and Herzegovina amounted EUR 662.76 million in 2022, out of which EUR 249.70 million (37.7%) grant funds and EUR 413.06 million (62.3%) loans, which represents an increase of EUR 28.3 million (4.5%) relative to 2021.
The amount of total allocated funds last year kept a continuous movement with a slight increase relative to 2021, with partial structure change of total allocated funds, caused by rise of loans for EUR 46.1 million and decrease of allocated grant funds for EUR 17.8 million.
The total paid ODA funds in 2022 were EUR 523.40 million, of which EUR 243.70 million or 46.6% grant funds, and EUR 279.70 million or 53.4% loans.
The majority of partners supported realisation of priorities connected to the European integrations process, thus following aspirations of Bosnia and Herzegovina for membership in the European Union.
CONSENT FOR VOTE BY CITIZENS OF INDONESIA
The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent to vote by citizens of the Republic of Indonesia, staying in Bosnia and Herzegovina, on the occasion of elections for President, Vice-President and members of House of Representatives in Indonesia, upon a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The vote Is possible in Embassy of the republic of Indonesia in BIH, on February 10, 224 in time between 9.00 and 15.00.
DEFENCE ATTACHÉ OF MONTENEGRO FOR BIH
The session gave tis consent for appointment of Captain of Military Ship Dragan Vuković for Defence Attaché of Montenegro for Bosnia and Herzegovina, seated in Zagreb.
STEERING BOARD OF PUBLIC COMPANY OFFICIAL GAZETTE OF BIH
The Council of Ministers of BIH accepted a recommendation by Committee for Selection and Appointment of President and Members of the Public Company “Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina” Steering Board, after completed public job vacancy procedure.
Appointed Steering Board members are two members from among employees (Lana Cokoja and Sabina Bašić) and three outsourced (Danijel Vidović, Kenan Kapo and Sanja Bjelica Šagovnović), as the best ranked candidates. Kenan Kapo was appointed the Steering Board President.
The previous Steering Board members were released form duty due to their term expiry, and decision on their release takes effect on the day of publication thereof in the “Official Gazette of BIH”.
FUNCTIONAL CHANGES IN STEERING BOARDS
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Security-proposed decision on amendment of a Decision on appointment of three members of the Joint Steering Board for Legal Interception of Telecommunications and Relevant Operations.
Under the decision, appointed members of the Joint Steering Board are the Ministry of Security Ivica Bošnjak, to replace previous member Nedeljko Jović, and the State Investigations and Protection Agency (SIPA) Srđan Pavlović, to replace Ognjen Tomić.
Upon the Ministry of Security proposal, a decision was taken amending a decision on appointment of members of the Steering Board of Srebrenica Memorial Centre – Potočari Memorial Centre and Graveyard for 1995 genocide victims, in order to secure continuity in work, after a member deceased and another one changed employment.
Appointed to the Steering Board were Jasmin Handžić of the Council of Ministers and Saliha Đuderija of the Institute for Missing Persons of Bosnia and Herzegovina. (end)