Sjednice
Council of Ministers of BIH Holds Its 9th Session
06/18/2020
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Draft Law on Budget of BIH Institutions and International Obligations of BIH for 2020, which took into account all circumstances caused by Covid-19 outbreak. The Ministry of Finance will, will certain corrections made to the text Law, provide the Draft Budget to the BIH Presidency, responsible for the proposing thereof.
The current expenditures were planned in amount of KM 868,345,00, and compared to 2019 they are less for KM 718,000 for 0.1%.
Funds for rehabilitation from economic damage were planned in the total amount of KM 41,927,000, as a new Budget item, of which KM 14,747,000 as direct transfers and KM 27,180,00 to current reserves.
The current transfers and grants were increased for KM 12,794,794,000 or 34% relative to 2019 and they amount totally KM 50,874,000; these funds were, among other things, intended for rehabilitation from economic consequences of the corona virus pandemics, in accordance with the BIH Presidency conclusion.
In order to secure funds for economic recovery, the total travel expenditures in 2020 were planned in amount of KM 11,259,000 are less for KM 5,870,000 or 34%. Travel expenditures were decreased for 38% in relation to the 2020 Draft Budget of BIH Institutions and International Obligations of BIH, adopted at the Council of Ministers 6th extraordinary session, of March 24, 2020.
Expenditures for telephone and postal services, planned in amount of KM 7,040,000 are less for 1,159,000 or 14% relative to the 2019 Budget, while expenditures for energy and utility services for 2020 planned as KM 17,151,000 are less for 1,428,000 or 8% relative to 2019 Budget, as well as expenditures for supplies planned at the level of KM 33,906,000 are less for 2,641,000 or 7% relative to 2019 Budget. The expenditures for transport and fuel were planned in amount of KM 10,530,000, which is for KM 1,496,000 or 12 % less compared to 2019 Budget. All these expenditures are less for total 7.8% than planned in the Draft Budget of this March.
The capital expenditures in 2020 were planned, in total amount of 40,490,000, are less for KM 14,134,000 or 26% in relation to the 2019 Budget.
The procurement of constructions planned in amount of KM 13,562,000 is less for 6,616,000 or 33% then the one from the 2019 Budget.
The procurement of equipment, planned for the amount of KM 17,275,000 in the 2002 Budget was decreased for KM 7,930,000 or 31% relative to the 2019 Budget.
Reconstruction and investment maintenance were planned to amount o KM 2,203,000, which is for KM 982,000 or 31% less than in the 2019 Budget.
Due to the limitation of overall public expenditures and revenues of BIH and for the aim of securing sufficient funds for the realisation of priority activities, funding of a part of multi-annual projects for 2020, in amount of KM 19.2 million was prolonged
MIGRATION REPORT ADOPTED
The Council of Ministers adopted a piece of information by the Ministry of Security on the situation in the area of migrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina for April 2020, which the Secretariat-General will provide t the BIH Presidency.
In the first four months of year 2020, total 4,572 illegal migrants were reported, which is a decrease for 24% relative to the same period 2019, when total 6,034 migrants were reported. The most of illegal migrants originate from Pakistan (27.4%) and Afghanistan (24.1%). An intention to apply for asylum was indicated by 4,247 individuals of which 78 have applied for it.
The number of illegal migrants in April, when there were 128, is less for 92% relative to this March, which is the result of limited movement stemming from measures taken by the counties of the region and European Union due to Covid-19 pandemics. The number of illegal migrants reported to the Foreigners’ Affairs Service in April 2020 was 95% less than in the same month last year.
Over the period of time between January 1 to April 30, 2020, funds from the IPA “Special measures for Support in Response to Refugee and Migrant Crisis in BIH” Project, were realised in the amount of EUR 8,692,317, of which EUR 2,158,298 were realised in April 2020.
SOCIAL SECURITY CONTRACT WITH CZECH REPUBLIC
The Council of Ministers defined a proposal Contract between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Czech Republic on Social Insurance.
He Contract will regulate relations between BIH and Czechia, in the area of pension and health insurance, including health care, work injuries, benefits for children and unemployment benefits. The Contract refers to individuals currently or previously subject to regulations of one or both states, including their family members.
The Proposal Contract with belonging negotiations report will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, and the Mistier of Civil Affairs was proposed for the BIH signatory thereof.
LIBERALISATION OF ROAD LINE PASSENGER TRANSPORT
The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Protocol with an Agreement on International Occasional Passenger Transport in Coaches and Busses (INTERBUS Agreement) concerning international line and charter passenger transport by coaches and busses, with a Platform for conclusion of the Protocol.
The Protocol aims the liberalisation of international road line passenger transport between the European Union members and third countries-signatories to the INTERBUS Agreement.
The contracting parties to the Agreement, ratified by BIH In 2004 are the EU and BIH, in addition to the Republic of Albania, Republic of Northern Macedonia, Republic of Moldova, Montenegro, Republic of Turkey, and Republic of Ukraine.
The EU initiated amendments and supplements to the INTERBUS Agreement in 2017, and proposed a Protocol to the Agreement, under which the area of application, other than occasional transport, would extend to the international road line transport of passengers by coaches and busses.
The Proposal Protocol, with Platform, will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, with a proposal for the Minister of Communications and Transport as the BIH signatory thereof.
SOFTER STANDARDS FOR WORKSTATIONS IN BIH INSTITUTIONS
The Council of Ministers took a decision, proposed by the Ministry of Communications and Transport, to adopt a document on technical-technological and software standard for workstation in the Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The document defined minimum technical–technological software requirements for standardisation of workstation in use in the Institutions of BIH. An obligation of standardisation of workstation as to hardware and software was set, as well as guidelines for procurement of computer equipment for the operative system and minimum applicative programmes to be installed at the workstation. The document defines initial minimum performances for different types of workstations, and provides for a procedure for defining minimum computer performances concerning future procurement of computer equipment.
PARTICIPATION IN EU HORIZON 2020 PROGRAMME
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information by the Ministry of Civil Affairs on participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the European Commission Framework Programme for Research and Development – Horizon 2020 (H2020), and proposal activities for the purpose of increased successfulness.
According to the Ministry of Civil Affairs, total 226 proposal project with 327 applicants came from Bosnia and Herzegovina as at March 2019, while evaluated were 316 full-credible applications with 412 applicants. Approved were 41 project that include 71 institution. The total withdrawn amount to-date is higher than EUR 5.5 million, with 15.5 % average successfulness rate, while the EU average was 15.3%.
The EU framework programmes for research and development are the main instrument of funding scientific-research work of the member-counties and those accessed to the programme. The Horizon 2020 Programme stated in 2014 and will last to December 31, 2020. BH is the accessed country from 2014, when an H2020 Accession Agreement was signed.
ADOPTED ANALYSIS OF AGRICULTURE-FOD PRODUCTS EXCHANGE
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Analysis of Agriculture-Food Products trade Exchange for 2017-2019, and tasked the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to continue monitoring and report the situation in the area to the Council of Ministers once a year.
A dynamics of export of agriculture-food products in 2017-2019 was featured by a continuous fall in quantities of exported products, and consequently the value of it. It is a consequence of decreased export to the Republic of Turkey, having regard of devaluation of Turkish currency, which rendered BIH products more expensive and less competitive. Also the export was affected by a decision of Priština to ban the export of milk and dairy products and to impose radical measures, introducing 100% custom rate to import of all products, including agriculture-food products from BIH.
As a reflection of overall situation in BIH agriculture, there is years-long deficit in trade exchange with agricultural products. The export marked negative trends, and value of import varied. Still, a deficit remained high, but not less than KM 2 billion.
By the export decrease in 2019, the foreign trade exchange in agriculture-food products amounted to KM 2.4 billion, and was higher for 6% compared to the year before.
The most exported products were oils and fats, fruit, milk and dairy products, sugar and sugar-based products, crops and four products, water, vegetables, and mill-industry and meat products.
As to the trade partners, the most important is still the European Union since about 38% of agriculture-food products were placed at its market, and 36% was placed at the CEFTA market, 16% to Turkey , 2% to EFTA market, ad 8% to other markets.
The most of import originated from the EU, about 55%, then from CEFTA, 29%, Turkey, about 3%, EFTA 0.2% and 13% from around the world.
2019 FOREIGN TRADE EXCHANGE ANALYSIS ADOPTED
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted an Analysis of Foreign Trade Exchange of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2019, prepared by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations.
The total foreign trade exchange of BIH in 2019 amounted KM 30.99 billion, of which the value of the exported goods was KM 11.19 billion, and the value of imported goods was KM 19.50 billion, resulting in a trade deficit of KM 8.01 billion. The trade deficit marks an increase of 8.6% relative to the year before.
The main characteristics of the foreign trade exchange in 2019 were its total fall of 0.6%, fall of export (3.4%), increase of import (1.2%), and a fall of rate of coverage of import by export for 2.8%.
The European Union is still the main foreign trade partner of BIH a n in the total volume of goods exchange it participates with 66%, followed by CEFTA countries marking 14% and the rest of countries participating with 20%.
Out of total BIH export, 73% accounts for the export to the EU, while import from the EU counties participates with 62% share of the total BIH import.
The export to CEFTA countries accounts for 17% in total BIH export, while the import form the CEFTA countries participates with 12% in the total BIH import.
The export to other counties has 10% share in total BIH export, while the import from other counties is 26%.
BIH has the largest coverage of import by export with Austria (151%), Slovenia (111%), Germany (72%), Croatia (69%), France (62%), Serbia (61%), and with Italy (56%).
REPORT ON JUSTICE, FREEDOM AND SECURITY SUB-COMMITTEE
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Directorate for European Integrations-tabled information on the fourth meeting of the Sub-Committee for Justice, Freedom and Security, held on December 5-6, 2019 in Brussels.
Certain European Commission recommendations, with conclusions to facilitate their implementation were adopted.
The meeting considered, among other things, the issues of implementation of the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement, harmonisation of legislation in Bosnia and Herzegovina with that of the European Union, and implementation of other obligations in the European integrations process in the area of justice, freedom and security,
IMPLEMENTTION OF ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a Joint Annual Report on administrative matters solved in administrative procedures in 2019, prepared by the Ministry of Justice based on separate reports received from 64 administrative bodies and institutions with public authorisations. The Joint Report covered 175 administrative areas.
The total number of the first-degree administrative procedures covered under the Report was 298,663, of which 262,453 were solved within legally set deadline. Simultaneously, 7,585 second-degree administrative procedures were registered last year, with 53% solved within the set deadline.
Practically, more than 92% of total number of cases in the first –degree procedures were solved within deadlines, namely, 98.7% completed and 2.56% in the process of finalisation. In more than 95% of cases, complaint party’s notion was accepted.
The Ministry of Justice Administrative Inspectorate is responsible for a detailed inspection monitoring in administrative bodies and institutions with public authorisations failing to provide respective annual reports on solved administrative cases, pursuant to earlier adopted institutions. In performing the inspection monitoring, the Administrative Inspectorate will prioritise the monitoring over the areas of administrative solution-finding.
REALISATION OF AP STRATEGY FOR COMBATING ORGANISED CRIME
The Council of Ministers adopted the Ministry of Security report on realisation of an Action Plan for implementation of the Organised Crime Combating Strategy in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2019, which contains seven strategic aims and 155 planned activities, of which 60 were planned under the Strategy.
Out of total number of the Strategy-planned activities, 35 or 58.3% were fully realised, 24 or 40% partially realised, and only one activity or 1.67% remained unrealised.
Out of other activities not provided for under the Strategy and which were part of responsible institutions’ plans, 54 or 56.8% were fully realised, 27 or 28.4% were realised partially, and 14 or 14.7% activities were not realised.
The report identified problems and risks in the Strategy implementation, and included a Work Group proposals for addressing them.
SUCESSFULLY REALISED JOINT BIH BORDER POLICE AND CROATIAN MINISTRY
OF INTERIOR PLANS
The session adopted a Report from Bosnia and Herzegovina representatives appointed into a Joint Coordination Body for monitoring of implementation of 2018-2019 Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the Republic of Croatia on cooperation in surveillance of the state border.
According to the Report, successfully were realised joint plans of the Border Police of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia on implementation of joint patrols at both local and regional levels. So, in 2018, total 1.141 joint patrols were carried out with police officers of the Republic of Croatia Ministry of Interior, of which 582 at the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 559 at the territory of the Republic of Croatia, engaging total 3.311 police officers, of which 1.620 from the BIH Border Police and 1.691 from Croatia.
In the course of year 2019, reported were 1136 implemented joint patrols, 568 in each BIH and Croatia.
Successfully implemented over the last two years was also a Protocol between the Ministry of Security of BIH n, Border Police and Ministry of Interior of the Republic of Croatia.
An orderly functioning of a joint contact centre at the Nova Sela-Bijača border crossing, established under the Protocol, contributed to a higher quality exchange of data and information on the issues important for the cross-border cooperation.
Earlier, the Council of Ministers adopted an Activity Report on Bosnia and Herzegovina representatives in the Joint Monitoring Committee for Implementation of an Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Croatia on border area traffic in 2019.
REALISATION OF REVISED ANNEX VII IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY
The Council of Ministers adopted a Report on realisation of revised Bosnia and Herzegovina Strategy for Implementation of the Dayton Peace Agreement Annex VII for 2018. The Report includes a breakdown of the situation in the area, review of achieved results, issues concerning the access to Annex VII-contained rights, review of investments to reconstruction of housing units, electrification projects, and utility and social infrastructure in the areas inhabited by displaced persons and returnees.
The Ministry for Human Rights and Refugees was charged to provide the Report to competent institutions at BIH, Entity and Brčko District levels, as well as to domestic and international organisations and institutions, for reference and acting upon.
Also, the Ministry was charged to organise a conclusion of an Agreement on Funds Merging with Entity and Brčko District Governments, precisely defining funds to join the BIH Fund for Return for the purpose of implementation of rights from the Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement. The competent Ministries were urged to secure funds for implementation of right form Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement.
The Report indicated that there 17,669 refugees outside Bosnia and Herzegovina, while 32,033 families or 96,421 individuals in BIH have the status of displaced persons. To date reported wee about 1,062,000 returns to BIH, of which 612,000 or 58% refers to displaced persons and about 540,000 or 42% to refugees.
VOTE BY CITIZENS OF RUSSIA IN BIH
The Council of Ministers granted its consent for organisation of vote by Russian citizens on constitutional amendments in the Russian Federation, to be held in the premises of the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sarajevo, on July1, 2020, and early balloting, to be held in the “Optima Group, Ltd.” in Banja Luka, on July 27, 2020.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of BIH was tasked to notify the Embassy of the Russian Federation in Sarajevo on the consent granted for vote by citizens of the Russian Federation.