Council of Ministers of Bosna and Herzegovina Holds Its 72nd Session

EU PRIORITY: DEFINED PROPOSAL LAW ON HJPC 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined by majority vote a Proposal Law on High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (HJPC BIH), which should be reconciled by the Ministry of Justice of BIH with the relevant Legislative Office Opinion, and send to the Parliamentary Assembly, for consideration under a shortened procedure.

The Proposal Law is in the function of promotion of rule of law in the country, securing of judiciary independence in BIH, and fulfilment of a key priority in the European Union accession process, including adoption of negotiations framework for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

It is a comprehensive legal solution, which, pursuant to earlier recommendations, responds to issues of composition and selection of the HJPC BIH membership, evaluation, conflict of interests, disciplinary accountability and integrity of holders of judicial functions, as well as evaluation of judges and prosecutors’ operations, and introduction of a legal remedy against all final decisions of the HJPC BIH. The Proposal Law regulates the process of submission of the inceptive and annual reports on property and interests of holders of judicial functions - their own, of their spouse or partner, parents, children, as well as of other individuals within their household - which will be published at the official web site of the HJPC BIH. The Proposal Law provides for complex mechanisms for boosting accountability of HJPC members, through a disciplinary accountability system in view of sanctioning of clearly defined breach of duties.

The HJPC BIH has 20 members, eight among judges and prosecutors each, while one member will be appointed by each the Council of Ministers of BIH, Parliamentarian Assembly of BIH, and bar Associations of the Federation of BIH and Republika Srpska, in accordance with conditions set forth.

DRAFT BUIDGET OF BIH ISNTITUTIONS ADOPTED

The Council of Ministers of BIH confirmed unanimously a Draft Budget of Institutions of BIH and International Obligations of BIH for year 2025, to be forwarded by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury to the BIH Presidency, authorised for proposing thereof to the Parliamentary Assembly of BIH for final adoption.

The total revenues, receivables and funding of Institutions of BIH within 2025 Budget are KM 1,570,500,000, increased for 16% in respect to 2024 Budget of BIH Institutions. Indirect taxation revenues were planned in amount of KM 1,020,500,000, the same as the under 2024 Budget.

The total expenditures of BIH Institutions, together with foreign debt servicing, amount KM 2,797,273,016 and are higher for KM 11,139,963 in respect to last year. Out of that sum, expenditures of the BIH Institutions are KM 1,570,500,00, and foreign debt servicing reaches KM 226,773,016, and it was decreased for 14%.

The Draft Budget reflects priorly continuation of reforms and fulfilment of requirements for the European Partnership and implementation of the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement, including harmonisation of a programme related to Ministry of Defence and other Ministries participating in the Partnership for Peace and other forms of cooperation with NATO. Among priorities there are also budgeted funds for implementation of budget users’ multi-annual projects.

Earlier, the Council of Ministers adopted 2025-2027 Framework Budget Document (FBD) of Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, harmonised with the Global Framework of Fiscal Balance and Policies in BIH, adopted by the Fiscal Council on February 24, 2025.

The FBD of BIH will be published on the official Ministry of Finance and Treasury web side.

2024 REFORMS PROGRAMME ADOPTED

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted 2024 Reforms Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina, proposed by the Committee for Cooperation with NATO, which will be forwarded to NATO seat in Brussels.

This will enable a continuous operation of BIH institutions on defining priorities and realisation of obligations stemming from BIH participation in the “Partnership for Peace” NATO Programme.

The Reform Programme consists of five chapters and cover political, economic, defence and military issues, in addition to resources, security and legal issues.

EU SECURED EUR 50.7 MILLION FOR FINANCING BIH ANANUAL ACTION PLAN

Today’s session defined a Proposal Agreement on financing 2024 Annual Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina between the European Union, represented by the European Commission, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Directorate for European Integrations, worth total EUR 50,800,000, with corrections made at the session.

Out of total amount, the Eu financial contribution id EUR 50,700,000, and that of UNICEF is EUR 100,0000.

The European Unio extends a support to Bosnia and Herzegovina though the instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) for promotion of rule of law and equality, progressing in fulfilment of requirements for the EU accession, green economy, and increased share of culture and other creative sectors in BIH development.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide the Proposal Agreement with Platform for its conclusion to the BIH Presidency for a further procedure, with a proposal for Director of the Directorate for European Integrations as the BIH signatory thereof.

WORK GROUP FOR DEVELOPEMTN FO MEMORANDUM O CONTACT OPINT FOR FIREARMS

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina took the Ministry of Security-proposed decision on setting-up a cross-sector Work Group for drafting a memorandum of understanding among responsible authorities in Bosnia and Herzegovina on contact point for firearms in BIH.

The Work Group will consist of representatives of the Border Police of BIH, Ministry of Security, State Investigations and Protection Agency, Directorate for Coordination of Police Bodies, and Agency for Forensic Research of BIH, in addition to Entity Ministries of Interior, the Brčko District Police, and 10 Cantonal Ministries of Interior.

The Work Group was assigned development of a text Memorandum of Understanding among responsible bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina on setting-up contact point of firearms, after all relevant police agencies appoint their respective contact points for firearms. It should send its Activity Report to the Council of Ministers, via the Ministry of Security, by September 30,2025.

The aim is to further define modalities of operation of the contact point and improve data exchange on both legal and illegal firearms with countries of the region and European Union, which is one among obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the European road, earlier agreed to within the Berlin Process.

COORDINATION DESK FOR EU4HEALTH PROGRAMME

The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina took the Ministry of Civil Affairs-proposed decision on establishment of a Coordination Desk for European Union Health Programme - EU4Health.

The establishment of the Coordination Desk for the EU4Health Programme will enable expert training of potential applicants for development of applications for joining the Programme and increase of level of successfulness of Bosnia and Herzegovina participation in this Programme.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs of BIH will take a decision on publishing a public call for selection of the Coordination Desk members, with attached to requirements for the selection.

The Coordination Desks will be made of coordinator, assistant coordinator, six sub-coordinators, of which four for the Federation of BIH and two for Republika Srpska.

The total EU4Health budget is EUR 5.3 billion for 2021–2027-time span, and it is the largest budget of the EU health programme, since its start in 2003.

The Programme focal areas of operation are the following: readiness for health crisis, health promotion and prevention of diseases, health care systems and related labour, digital transformation and cancer.

SUPPORT TO MINISTRY OF DEFENCE FOR “PERSPECTIVE” AND “PREVENTION” PROGRAMMES

The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its support to efforts and activities of the Ministry of Defence in implementation of the “Perspective” Programme of Transition and Care Taking of Released Personnel, in addition to the “Prevention” Project of mental health protection and psycho-social assistance within the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2025.

Previously adopted a piece of information on activities in these areas in 2024 suggest that the “Persepective” Programme and “Prevention” Project have been successfully implemented, in accordance with the planned dynamics.

Since the implementation of the multi-annual “Perspective” Programme was planned to end in late 2025 and that a considerable number of professional military staff will be in the process of transition and release, pursuant to legal provisions on age and length of service of professional military men, the Ministry of Defence will propose adoption of a new Decision to the Council of Ministers of BIH so as to secure the continuation of the Project.

Over the last 11 years of independent implementation of the “Perspective” Programme, and in accordance with the Law on Service in Armed Forces of BIH, released were 498 soldiers, and assisted were 438 individuals, for which KM 1,355,669 was spent, and an average transition assistance per beneficiary was KM 2,977.64.

The “Preventive” project is directed to protection of mental health, psycho-social assistance and relaxation of the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces od BIH staff, and it has been independently implemented nine year now, while last year 81 individuals were covered, for which purpose KM 38,880 was spent. The Project now covers 971 individuals from the Ministry of Defence and Armed Forces of BIH, for which total KM 374,720 is spent.

CoMBIH SETS-UP TEAM FOR DEFINING PLAN FOR EXECUTION OF “VIADUCT” PROCEDURE AWARD

The Council of Ministers of BIH formed a team for defining plan of action against ICSID Tribunal Award in Procedure Viaduct, Ltd. Portorož, Vladimir Zevnik and Boris Goljevšček against Bosnia and Herzegovina, of April 18, 20222 and Decision of ICSID Committee for Annulment of Arbitrage Award in the procedure, of May 1, 2024.

The Team composition is the following: representatives of the Ministry of finance and Treasury of BIH; Ministry of Justice of BIH; and Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH, and it was assigned to start talks with legal representatives of the claimants in the “Viaduct” procedure urgently, within 15 days at latest.

The Government of Republika Srpska was urged to appoint its representative immediately, to start the talks.

The Chief Attorney’s Office of BIH will report to the Council of Ministers of BIH realisation of related activities. The Council of Ministers of BIH took these conclusions in accordance with earlier concluded Agreement between the Council of Ministers of BIH and Government of Republika Srpska on mutual rights and obligations as to arbitrage procedure in file “Viaduct, Ltd Portorož, Vladimir Zevnik from Ankam, Republic of Slovenia, and Boris Goljevšček from Piran, Republic of Slovenia against claimed Bosnia and Herzegovina” before the Washington-based International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes, under which the Entity Government committed to fulfil unconditionally all payment obligations against the award taken in the arbitrage procedure, on behalf of BIH, after receipt of a documented request from the Chief Attorney’s Office of BH, which has not been realised to date.

The Slovenian company Viaduct claims from Bosnia and Herzegovina EUR 55,065,351.20 of indemnification because of unilaterally broken concession contract by the Government of Republika Srpska for development of a hydro-power plant on Vrbas, with accompanying interest until the day of full payment.

BIH PARTICIPATED IN “ERASMUS+” PROGRAMME

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted in a piece of information in a new text on participation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the “Erasmus+” Programme, in a part referring to education and youth. The Ministry of Civil Affairs will forward the piece of information to the Entity and Cantonal Ministries of Education and Youth, Education Division and Professional and Administrative Affairs Divisions of the Brčko District of BIH, Agency for Pre-School, Elementary and Secondary Education, Agency for High Education Development and Quality Insurance, Centre for Information and Recognition of High Education Diplomas, and the Erasmus+ Office in BIH,

According to the piece of information, Bosnia and Herzegovina was placed on the second place among four Western Balkans economies in terms of participation in the International Credit Mobility Project - ICM - in the course of 2022 and 2023, during which more tham 20.000 students and teaching staff mobilities were registered in the Erasmus+ and Western Balkan countries.

BIH Institutions participate in 23 projects, dominantly as partner institutions within 2021-2027 High Education Capacity Building Programme, among which projects 13 were approved in 2022 worth EUR 8,187,432.80, and 10 projects of total value of EUR 6,542,447 were approved from the Erasmus-Edu-2023CBHE calls.

The Erasmus+ Programme is in implementation during 2021–2027-time frame, and its aim is to support, through life-time learning, education, professional and personal development in the area of education, training, youth and sports in Europe and beyond, which contribute to sustainable growth, job quality, social cohesion and promotion of innovations.

PARCO RESEARCH: INCREASED TRANSPARENCY IN BIH INSTITUTIONS

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information from the Office of Coordinator for Public Administration Reform on the sixth on-line research on application of policy and standards of proactive transparency, conducted between April 29 and May 27, 2024, featuring 54 institutions of BIH.

The research proved an average standards fulfilment of proactive transparency of 74.78%, as improved from 2023 for 1.51%.

The proactive transparency standards presume, among other things, enabling public view into data/information sets institutions dispose of, namely, strategic, operative, financial, public procurement, anti-corruption and freedom of access to information.

According to the research results, five Council of Ministers institutions fulfil 100% of proactive transparency standards, namely, the Directorate for European Integrations, Statistics Agency of BIH, High Education and Quality Insurance in Education Agency, Office of Coordinator for Public Administration Reform, Market Supervision Agency of BIH. These institutions have published all data and information of public relevance, from employees contacts to total salaries of institution’s managerial staff and of all civil servants an employees.

More than 90 per cent of fulfilled proactive transparency standards were achieved by the Council of Ministers Secretariat-General, State Ministries of Civil Affairs and Communications and Transport, BIH Agencies for Forensic Research and Expertise, Anti-Corruption Agency, Labour and Employment Agency, Personal Data Protection Agency, and Indirect Taxation Administration of BIH.

The Council of Minister of BIH adopted more conclusions targeting an increase of transparency of its institutions and bodies, while the Audit Office of BIH, State Regulatory Agency for Electric Power, Agency for Service Provision in Air Navigation - BHANSA – Parliamentary Assembly of BIH, and Chief Attorney’s Office of BiH were urged to take part in the next research on fulfilment of proactive transparency standards.

COOEPRATION CONTINUES OF BIH AND REPUBLIC OF CRIATAI ON STATE BORDER SRVEILLANCE

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Security-tabled Report in implementation of an Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and of the Republic of Croatia on Cooperation in State Border Surveillance for 2023 and 2024, to be continued in time ahead.

Joint plans on implementation of joint patrols at both local and regional levels have been mostly successfully realised, and in 2023 total realised were 1,178 joint patrols, of which 672 in the BIH territory and 506 in the Republic of Croatia. On these occasions, total 3,229 police officers were engaged, of which 1,601 officers from the Border Police of BIH add 1,628 officers from the Ministry of Interior of Croatia.

Total realised were 1,102 joint patrols in 2024, of which 613 in BIH territory and 489 in the territory of the Republic of Croatia. Total engaged were 2,982 police officers, of which 1,467 from the BIH Border Police and 1,515 from the Ministry of Interior of Croatia.

CoM BIH NGOS BIH COOEPRATION AGREEMENT IN IMPLEMETNATION

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Justice-tabled Report on implementation of a Cooperation Agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Non-Government Organisations in Bosnia and Herzegovina for year 2024.

According to the Report, two more NGOs acceded to the Agreement last year, reaching total number of 132.

Certain activities were implemented last year towards capacity building of the Ministry of Justice of BIH Division for Legal Assistance and Civil Society Development, as a coordinator of cooperation between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and NGOs. Simultaneously, a public vacation ad was completed for appointment of seven members of the Council of Ministers of BIH Consultancy Council for cooperation with NGOs, and relevant proposal was sent to the Council of Ministers of BIH for decision-making procedure in late 2024.

A Draft Strategy for creation of favourable environment for civil society development in Bosnia and Herzegovina was developed, and sent late last year for public consultations, with an invitation to civil society organisations to give their comments and suggestions so as to contribute to promotion of their participation in decision-making process on public policies in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF ISNTITUTE FOR STANDARDISATION APPOINTED

The council of Ministers of BIH endorsed an Opinion by the Civil Service Agency of BIH and appointed Dragan Brković for Deputy Director of the Institute for Standardisation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, as the best ranked candidate at the public vacation ad procedure.

CONSENT TO APPOINTMENT

The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent, upon a proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to appointment of Thomas Vampertzis to the post of police liaison envoy of the Hellenic Republic for Bosnia and Herzegovina, with the seat in Belgrade. end)

Link for Photos:

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