Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 8th Session

ADOPTED SALARY AND REIMBURSEMENT POLICY IN BIH INSTITUTIONS 

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Finance and Treasury-proposed Decision on Salary and Reimbursement Policy in Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, in accordance with the Law on Salaries and Reimbursements in Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, with certain correction made at the session.

A principle of reality and fiscal accountability is one of underlying principles for salaries and reimbursements policy implementation in BIH Institutions in the incurrent four-year time period, which takes regard of the real situation, expected economic trends and BIH performances, as a basis for defining salary and reimbursement levels.

The Salary and Reimbursements Policy in BIH Institutions provides for harmonisation of relevant regulations in state level legislative, executive and judicial authorities.

AMEMDED PART OF REAL ESTATE REGISTRATION PROJECT

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Amendment of a Loan Agreement (Real Estate Project Additional Financing) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

The proposed Amendment was drafted upon a request by the Ministry of Finance of Republika Srpska, and it refers to a change in implementation of procurement process in order to improve cadastre offices infrastructure.

The Loan Agreement between BIH and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development was signed on July 2, 2020 for the aim of support a sustainable real estate registration system, together with harmonised records in land registry and cadastre in urban areas of the Federation of BIH and Republika Srpska.

The Proposal Amendment with Platform for its conclusion will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury is proposed BIH signatory thereof.

BIH AND BULGARIA BOOST THEIR COOPERATION IN TOURISM

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a proposal for conclusion of Memorandum of Understanding and Cooperation in Tourism between the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BIH and Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Bulgaria.

The Memorandum of Understanding plans an exchange of information, research, and incitement of further investments in various areas of tourism sector, for the aim of development of tourism infrastructure and strengthening of friendly relations between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Bulgaria.

The proposal for conclusion of the Memorandum of Understanding will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the BIH signatory will be the Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations.

COORDINATION BODY FOR TRGOVSKA GORA

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-proposed decision on an amendment and supplement to a Decision on appointment of Bosnia and Herzegovina Coordination Body for issue-solving of disposing of radioactive and nuclear waste at the Trgovska Goa site.

Thus, instead the Minister of Spatial Arrangement, Civil Construction and Ecology of Republika Srpska Srebrenka Golić, the Coordination Body includes new Minister Bojan Vipotnik.

Also, the Coordination Body appointed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH Selma Užičanin, into the Coordination Body.

Ministers in charge for environment and the Director of Sector for Radiation and Nuclear Safety were earlier appointed into the Coordination Body.

FEES FOR VEHICLES TYPE-APPROVAL LOWER THAN EARLEIR PRPOSED

The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Communications and Transport-proposed Decision on supplement to new text on administrative fees tariff, in accordance with regulation on vehicles type-approval and Law on Administrative Fees.

So, administrative fee tariffs would be included into fees for activities taken in vehicle type-approval procedure, for which the Ministry of Communications and Transport is responsible. The fee moves from KM 20 for vehicle-type approval certificate to KM 10 for a supplement to certificate on vehicle-type approval, as much as is the fee for certificate on harmonisation of individual vehicles.

Under the new text Decision, the level of fees was decreased in relation to the previous ones ranking from KM 20 to KM 50, and a fee for issuance of certificate on vehicle-type approval for parts, appliances and equipment of vehicles, was annulled, as proposed by a Decision considered at the 52^nd session of the Council of Ministers of BIH.

This decrease is in function of commitment of the Council of Ministers for a more rational level and number of fees, in line with recommendation of the BIH Institutions Audit Office and based on a “Basic Preconditions for Successful Management of Fees and Levies in BIH Institutions” report.

PIECE OF INFORMATION ADOPTED ON MIGRATIONS SITUATION IN BIH FOR JANUARY 2023

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Security-tabled piece of information on migrations situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina for January 0223, which will be passed to the BIH Presidency.

The Foreigners’ Affairs Service registered 1,608 illegal immigrants in January 0223, which is for 42% less than in December 2022, but much higher than in January 2022, when only 465 migrants were registered. Among first five countries of origin, there are Afghanistan, Morocco, Cuba, Congo and Iran, and migrants from Afghanistan account for more than half of illegal migrants. An intention to apply for asylum was reported by 1,470 individuals of which 20 only filed for it.

In our temporary accommodation centres (total capacity for 4,889 persons), 1,010 migrants wee accommodated at average, and on Jan.31, 2023, there were 873 individuals.

The BIH Border Police registered 760 individuals in illegal border crossing or an attempt of it, which is for 52% less than in previous month. Among nationals detected in illegal border crossing they are mostly nationals of Afghanistan, Pakistan and Congo, while primary routes for entrance are from Serbia and Montenegro. The major burden of the migrant border-crossing was registered at the operation area of Broder Police Zvornik, Hum-Foča and Bijeljina and migrants were detected in 97% of cases beyond border-crossing area.

In January 2023, total 26 individuals were turned back in their countries of origin or countries of acceptance, and the immigration centre accommodated total 51 individuals as at January 31, 2023.

HARMONSIATION OF BIH LEGISLATION WITH EU ACQUIS

The session tasked Ministries and other Institutions of BIH and relevant bodies assigned to develop regulations, to submit regularly to the Council of Ministers of BIH Directorate for European Integrations regulations in the process of harmonisation with the EU acquis and all implementation regulations which meet requirements from documents relevant for the integration of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union.

The Council of Ministers of BIH took this conclusion after it adopted the Directorate for European Integrations piece of information on application of a Decision on procedure for harmonisation of legislation of Bosnia and Herzegovina with acquis of the European Union in 2022.

The Directorate for European Integrations issued 150 opinions over the reported time period on harmonisation of regulations and provided expert support in drafting thereof by participation in 27 work groups and in 35 informal consultations,

Based of a review of regulations from the “Official Gazette of BIH” in 2022, it was found that the Directorate for European Integration gave its opinion on harmonisation thereof, among which 29 were harmonised with the acquis, while five regulations relevant for the European integrations were adopted and published without previously obtained opinion on harmonisation level.

REPORTS ON CLIMATE CHANGES AND GAS EMISSION ADOPTED

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations –tabled Proposal Fourth BIH National Report on Climate Changes (FCN) and Third Report on Gas Emission with Hothouse Effects (TBUR) ,pursuant to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – UNFCCC, with suggestions adopted at the session.

The reports were made as a part of fulfilment of Bosna and Herzegovina obligations towards the Convention basics, as well as in pursuance of its obligations under international cooperation mechanisms on reduction of gas emission causing hothouse effects.

These reports contain a breakdown of up-dated activities and information on reaching certain progress in the context of supressing consequences of climate changes, while an integral part of it is an analysis of vulnerability and possibilities of adaptation to climate changes by sectors, with defining the direction of action.

The reports also cover measures of mitigation and advancement of domestic climate changes measurement system, reporting and verification, and information on change of model of building public awareness on relevance on preserving environment, education and systematic research, as well as supervision and technology transfer in the context of fight against climate changes.

The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations should provide these reports to a UNFCCC BIH contact institution for the aim of providing them to the UNFCCC Secretariat.

IMPLEMTNATION OF LAW ON ARMS AND MILITARY EQUIEMNT MOVEMENT CONTROL

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Security report on implementation of the Law on Arms and Military Equipment Movement Control in 2022.

Last year, 834 resolutions were issued to approve movement of arms and military equipment, which is an increase of the issued resolutions for 10.17%, relevant to the year before. There were 499 resolutions and 355 for import. Total 834 economic entities filed for resolutions for arms and military control movement.

Simultaneously 405 earlier granted consents were issued, which approved movement of arms and military equipment between the Entities, cantons and the Brčko District of BIH, upon requests by competent cantonal, Entity and Brčko District of BIH Ministries of Interior.

Last year, total 52 reports were submitted on movement of arms and military equipment and dangerous matters, including movements within Bosnia and Herzegovina and export/import to BIH.

REPORT ON SERIOUS CRIMINAL ACTS IN BIH IN LAST YEAR

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Justice-tabled Report from the Central Data Base on committed serious criminal acts in Bosnia and Herzegovina in year 2022.

According to the Report, in time period from 2020 to 2922, the Central Dara Base, registered were total 11,222 awards, and in 2022, 326 awards were sentenced against 348 individuals. The awards covered criminal act of money laundering, terrorism, misuse of narcotics, human trafficking, hijacking, as well as pornography, prostitution and forgery. These criminal acts data base should, according to international treaties, be centralised, for the reason of which courts in BIH are obliged to provide verified awards to the Ministry of Justice of BIH.

The Ministry of Justice is obliged to provide to the Council of Ministers of BIH a review and analysis of awarded files, at the end of each calendar year, based on Central Data Base registers, and report regularly the Ministry of Security on awards against perpetrators of criminal acts of unauthorised production, processing and sales of narcotics and poisons. The Report is also provided regularly to centres for education of judges and prosecutors of the Federation of BIH and Republika Srpska.

INCLUSION OF PUBLIC IN STATE LEVEL REGULATIONS DEVELOPMENT

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Justice report on implementation of rules for consultations in development of legal regulations for 2022, with a supplement made at the session.

The web platform “e-Consultations” registered 67 institutions, and total 3557 legal and natural persons, which is more for two institutions than a year before.

Also 557 consultations were made over the reported period of time. As to development of legal regulations and other acts, 435 reports were issued on consultations implemented. Among 190 registered applicants for participation at public consultations, 73 took part at consultations. Total 174 proposals were received, nine of which were fully and partially accepted by institutions.

Activities continue on promotion of transparency, cooperation and openness towards citizens and civil society organisations, so the interested public is urged to get included into public consultations process in development of legal regulations. These efforts by the Ministry of Justice were recognised by ReSPA and OECD/SIGMA by awarding a special recognition for the Western Balkans public administration in 2022.

HARMONISATION OF DECISION WITH LAW ON PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION

The Council of Ministers of BIH took a decision on Amendment of a Decision on framework criteria for paying cash remuneration to employees in the BIH Institutions, after the Agency for Personal Data Protection in BIH sent a request for harmonisation of the decision with provisions of the Law on Personal Data Protection.

The Agency for Personal Data Protection of BIH assessed that earlier defined obligation of publishing data on paid cash remunerations to employees in the BIH Institutions at institutions’ official web-page are not in line with principles of justice and legality, because of which these provisions are to be deleted.

PUBLIC JOB VACANCY AD

The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry of Security of BIH to publish again a public job vacancy ad for selection of the Foreigners’ Affairs Service Assistant Manager for Internal Control, and implement relevant job vacancy procedure.

Earlier, the Council of Ministers of BIH was informed of implementation of the job vacancy procedure, suggesting that no application arrived for this particular position, after the job vacancy ad was published in September 2022.

CONSENT TO APPONTMENT

The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs proposal for appointment of Ištvan Szgedi to the post of police attaché of Hungary for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with his seat in Skoplje. (end)