Sjednice
Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 43rd Session
03/19/2024
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted 2024-2028 Public Procurement Strategy of BIH, for the purpose of building-up capacities and fulfilment of one among priorities from the European Commission Opinion ion BIH application for EU membership.
The Strategy, developed by the BIH Public Procurement Agency, creates preconditions for a modern, transparent, competitive, and effective public procurement system, harmonised with the European Union legislation and best practices.
The Strategy, along with an institutional framework, monitoring, and legal protection, includes six strategic EU public procurement priorities., namely, privatisation, introduction of green and socially responsible public procurement, including improved SMEs access to public procurement market.
An Action Plan, as an integral part of the Strategy, lists specific goals and measures with activities description and realisation deadlines, needed finances and human resources, competent and other contributing institutions, in addition to results and risks immanent to the processes.
CONSTITUTIONAL COURT AWARD IMPLEMENTATION: SUPPLEMENT TO LAW ON REIMBURSEMENTS IN JUDICIARY
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Supplements to Law in Salaries and Other Reimbursements in Court and Prosecutorial Institutions at the state level, thereby implementing the BIH Constitutional Court award; the Proposal Law will be provided to the BHI Parliamentarian Assembly for adoption.
The Ministry of Justice-proposed Supplements will harmonise rights and accommodation costs and reimbursement for separation from family to expert staff in judicial institutions, holding judiciary functions, judges and prosecutors at BIH level, all for the principle of securing judiciary independence.
Under an earlier decision, the Constitutional Court defined that the Law on Salaries and Reimbursements in court and prosecutorial institutions at BIH level was not in line with corresponding provisions of the BIH Constitution, Protocol of the European Convention for Human Rights Protection and International Pact on Civic and Political Rights, because it did not include provisions on right to accommodation costs and reimbursement for separation from family for expert staff in judiciary institutions of BH.
LAW ON ADMINISTRATIVE FEES SUPPLEMENTED
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Law on Supplements to Law on Administrative Fees with nomotechnical suggestions by the Legislation Office.
The Proposal Law, tabled by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, should help realise recommendation by the BIH Institutions Audit Office and improvement of monitoring of customs fees and administrative fees collection.
The Law adoption was initiated by the Indirect Taxation Office of BIH for the reason of better administrative fee collection and monitoring thereof and for facilitation of tax payment on each item.
The Supplement to the Law provides for the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina to realise enforced collection.
The Proposal Law on Supplements to Law on Administrative Fees will be provided to the Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH for consideration.
ACTIVITIES INITIATED FOR ACCESS TO DIGITAL EUROPA EU PROGRAMME
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Platform for conclusion of an agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on participation in 2021-2027 EU Programme – Digital Europa, for the aims of securing faster digital transformations of society and of economy building in BIH.
By accessing to the Programme, the Council of Ministers of BIH wants to secure strategic finances for a response to global digital challenges and access of Bosnia and Herzegovina to projects in key areas, such as supercomputers, artificial intelligence, advanced digital skills, and wider use of digital technologies.
It will contribute to development of the ICT sector and IT industry, in addition to promotion of competitiveness of domestic economy and subsequent increasing of living standard in BIH.
The Proposal Platform for conclusion of the Agreement will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure.
The session tasked the Ministry of Communications and Transport to report annually the programme-based funds withdrawn to the Council of Ministers and to coordinate preparatory and other activities with the Office of Chairwoman concerning the Agreement implementation and meetings with the European Commission.
BIH-EU MEETING ON PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Directorate for European Integrations-tabled piece of information on the 7th meeting of a Special Taks Force for Public Administration Reform between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be held in Sarajevo, on April 16, 2024.
The session adopted a related discussion document, took note of the meeting agenda, and granted its consent to BIH delegation composition for the meeting, to be divided into a high-level political part and public administration reform technical level part.
Chair of the BIH Delegation for political dialogue will be BIH Minister of Justice Davor Bunoza, who will be available to media for the meeting-related questions. The BIH Delegation will be led at the technical level by Coordinator for Public Administration Reform Darko Kasap.
The session adopted the Directorate for European Integrations piece of information on the seventh meeting of the EU-BIH Sub-Committee for Justice, Freedom and Security.
PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION REFORM
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Public Administration Reform Coordinator’s Office-proposed Decision to appoint members and alternate members of supervisory teams for implementation of the public administration reform in Bonia and Herzegovina on behalf of the Council of Ministers of BIH in a new text and with accepted corrections made at the session.
Representatives of responsible institutions under the Council of Ministers of BIH were appointed to supervisory bodies for six reform areas, and they will together with appointed representatives of the Governments of the Federation of BIH, Republika Srpska and Brčko District of BIH direct and supervise reform processes and will ensure operative support to implementation of agreed-to measures.
Reform areas are policy development and coordination, public finances management, civil service and human potentials management, accountability, improved service provision, and digitalisation of services.
ENABLED ENTRY NAD STAY IN BIH FOR THREE CITIZENS OF PALESTINE
The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision to approve entry and stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina under special conditions to citizens of Palestine, who are relatives of BIH citizens.
This enabled a facilitated entry and stay in BIH for three individuals (mother and two children) who are relatives of a BIH citizen, and for which a security check was made earlier. The entry is enabled through the International Airport Sarajevo border-crossing.
IMPORT OF BIH-ORIGINATING ORGANIC PRODUCTS EXCEEDS EUR 8 MILLION
The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to continue its activities, in cooperation with responsible Entity and Brčko District of BIH institutions, on development of a state-level law on organic food production, in accordance with recommendations from the seventh meeting of the EU-BIH Subcommittee for Agriculture and Fishing.
Previously a piece of information was adopted on the status of organic food production in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which emphasised a need for continued following of EU legislative and harmonisation of relevant domestic with EU regulations.
The piece of information also suggests that an encouraging growth of number of organic food producers, food processing operators and cultivated land areas in organic production, as well as agricultural incentives, are all insufficient for development of BIH organic sector in a full capacity.
It requires a real and strategic policy-making and adequate measures implementation, together with additional investments and incentives for accelerated growth of organic agricultural production in BIH, since a growing global demand for these products are evident.
The value of export of organic food products from BIH in 2022 was higher for EU 8 million, and production was made on mote than 1,700ha of cultivated land.
PIECE OF INFORMATION BY CHIEF ATTORNEY’S OFFICE ON DISPUTES INITIATED AGAINST BIH
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information by the BIH Chief Attorney’s Office on all claims initiat4ed against Bosnia and Herzegovina in courts abroad, which may have additional financial implications to Budget of Bosnia and Herzegovina Institutions or a relevant authority level.
The piece of information contains a review of all procedures with detailed data on their several statuses and values of claims, and seven among them are in the phase of arbitrage process or amicable dispute solution.
Bosnia and Herzegovina prepares a process against GAVI (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunisation) for recovery of a whole unspent money amicably or by claim, since GAVI simply kept USD 1,615,120, after expiry of a contract concluded with BUH on taking over obligations of procurement of vaccines against Covid-19.
GAVI has only delivered 332,640 or 27% vaccines to Bosnia and Herzegovina of total ordered and paid 1,232,000 vaccine doses, and during the term of the contract 899,360 vaccine doses were not delivered.
APPOINTED ACTING RERPESENTATIVE/AGENT OF COUNCIL OF MINSITERS OF BIH BEFORE EUROEPAN COURT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees-tabled piece of information on mandate expiry to the Acting Agent of BIH Council of Ministers before the European Court for Human Rights.
The session tasked responsible institutions to annul a public job vacancy ad for three managing civil servants on a position of Representative/Agent in the Office of Representative/Agent of BIH Council of Ministers before European Court for Human Rights, published on May 12, 2023.
A correction of a Decision on Amendments and Supplements to Decision on Representative/Agent and Office of Representative/Agent of BIH Council of Ministers before European Court for Human Rights was published in the “Official Gazette of BIH”, as to harmonise it with the Council of Ministers decision from its 37th session of May 20, 2021 regarding conditions the Representative/Agent must fulfil to be appointed.
Also, a Rulebook on internal organisation of the Office of Representative/Agent of the Council of Ministers before European Court for Human Rights will be harmonised.
Due to a mandate expiry, a decision was taken on release of duty of acting representative/agent Harisa Bašić and Monika Mijić, while Jelena Cvijetić was earlier released form duty on her on request.
A Decision was taken on appointment of Monika Mijić, Bojan Bajić and Amer Hasanefendić for acting representatives/agents until the end of the job vacancy procedure, for three months at longest.
AEGNCY FOR PRE-SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION BOARD
The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of a piece of information by the Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees on a job vacancy public ad for selection and appointment of six members of the Agency for Pre-School, Elementary and Secondary Education Board, whose term expired earlier.
The appointed Board members are were Milica Vuković, Željka Marković and Jazid Bajrić, while previous three Board members, Branka Kovačević, Zdenka Leženić and Uma Isić were released form their duty.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs will publish a job vacancy ad for three more members of the Boad. (end)
Ling to Photo:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vijeceministara/albums/72177720315559524