Sjednice
Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 36th Session
01/22/2024
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-proposed Decision on ratification of an agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina relating to “Fiscalis”, the Union 2023-2027 Programme for Cooperation in Taxation and will provide it to the BIH Presidency.
The Programme was directed to improvement of functionality of taxation systems of internal market by supporting participant countries, their taxation administrations and officers in combating tax frauds, which would result in better revenue collection.
Bosnia and Herzegovina continues its participation in the “Fiscalis” Programme, it acceded to in 2015 in the first cycle, lasting to 2020, and which is aimed at further harmonisation with EU standards in the internal market strengthening processes.
TO SPEED-UP PREPARATIONS FOR NEXT EU ACCESSION PHASE
The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked all Institutions of BIH to intensify translation of regulations to English language in process of harmonisation with the EU acquis, and to provide the translations to the Directorate for European Union for quality control.
In expecting the date of opening of negotiations with the EU, the Council of Ministers of BIH took this conclusion for the purpose of an adequate preparation for the next phase of accession process, which includes an analytical review(screening) of harmonisation of BIH legislation with the EU acquis. This was noted in the Directorate for European Integrations piece of information, which underlines a need for translation of documents to English language, primarily those referring to fulfilment of 14 key priorities from the European Commission Opinion on BIH request for membership in the EU.
The screening follows the formal opening of accession negotiations, and aside from legislation review it includes harmonisation thereof with the acquis.
BIH IN AGREEMENT FOR REOPENING OF COMMON PERMANET EXHIBITION IN AUSCHWITZ-BIRKENAU STATE MUSEUM
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined both a proposal Platform for conclusion of an Agreement in financing of reopening of common permanent exhibition in Block 17 of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum and text Agreement.
Ambassador of BIH in the French Republic Bojana Kondić Panić was proposed for the BIH signatory thereof.
Other than BIH representatives, the agreement will be signed by representatives of the Republic of Croatia, Montenegro, republic of North Macedonia, Republic of Serbia and Republic of Slovenia.
This way, the signatory-countries reconfirm their commitment to principles of the Convention on prevention and sanctioning of crimes of genocide and to 2014 Ohrid Strategy of the SEE Council of Ministers of Culture – Strengthening of Culture for Sustainable Development - including the recognition of the State Museum Auschwitz-Birkenau as one of central historic monuments in Europe and sign of remembrance to one of the darkest time periods of history of mankind.
DEADLINE EXRENDED FOR WAR CRIMES FILES PROCESSING BEFORE BIH JUDICIARY
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Justice-proposed decision to prolong deadline for implementation of the Revised State Strategy for Work on War Crimes Files strategic aim 1.2. by the end of 2025.
The implementation of the of the Revised State Strategy strategic aim I titled “processing of the most complex and prioritised war crimes files before Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Prosecutor’s Office of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other files before judiciary offices of Entities and the Brčko District of BIH” will be prolonged for two years.
The Council of Ministers adopted a piece of information earlier, suggesting the current dynamic of dealing with the war crimes files and number of unsolved files point at impossibility of their addressing within earlier set deadline, by the end of 2023.
COOPERATION OF BIH AND UNESCO
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Civil Affairs-proposed decision to appoint members of the State Committee for Cooperation of BIH with United Nations Education, Science and Culture Organisation (UNESCO) and on the level of reimbursement to previous members.
The Committee members are appointed to a four-year term, upon proposal by relevant State and Entiy Ministries and institutions. The Minister for Civil Affairs was appointed the Committee chairperson.
Obligation by UNESCO member-counties is to set-up state committees for cooperation with UNESCO.
DIGITALISED MOST OF ARCHIVE MATERIAL LAST YEAR
The Council of Ministers adopted a piece of information by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury on implementation of the Annex D of the Agreement on Succession Issues, referring to archive material of ex-SFRY.
A member of the Joint Committee is responsible to continue activities on implementation of the Annex D.
The Council of Ministers of BIH Secretariat-General should brief the BIH Presidency on the conclusion adopted.
The piece of information includes a review of activities that the BIH Archives implemented from 2016 to end August 2023 concerning the takeover of digitalised material from the Archives in Belgrade, as well as of future activities.
A piece of information includes a tabular review of materials digitalised in the reported period, according to which the most of material was digitalised and took over in eight months of 2023, namely 80,000 documents, while throughout 2022, digitalised were 78.034 documents and in 2020 8,182 documents were digitalised.
The increase of number of digitalised materials is a result of more funding for the Archives of BIH in 2023 and procurement of new equipment, so digitalisation of 120,000 documents is expected by the end of this year.
It is about materials from 150 ex-Yugoslav institutions, including more than 750 funds of various state-level directorates, ministries and other joint institutions of ex-SFRY, holding materials relevant to Bosnia and Herzegovina. The complex and lasting effort is best illustrated by the fact that the Archives of ex-SFRY accommodated more that 44,000 meters of archive material.
TECHNICAL AMENDMENT OF DECISION
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-proposed decision on amendment of a Decision on temporary suspension and temporary decrease of customs rates in import of certain goods until Dec 31, 2024.
Due to regular annual harmonisation of customs tariffs with the combined EU Nomenclature, a technical amendment took place for several tariff marks in the Decision on temporary suspension and temporary decrease of customs rates with import of certain goods by Dec 31, 2024.
APPOINTMENTS
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Civil Affairs Report on completed procedures for selection and appointment of one Deputy Director of the Agency for Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education.
Based on a rank list of successful candidates, the first ranked Aida Terzić was appointed for Deputy Director of the Agency of Pre-School, Primary and Secondary Education for a four-year term.
Mahir Zajmović and Mustafa Džafić were appointed members from Bosniak people of the Centre for Information and Recognition of High Education Documents Managing Board for a three-year term, while Aida Durić and Bakir Mehić were released from their duty due to mandate expiry.
Members of the Centre Managing Board from Serb and Croat people were appointed earlier, while the Ministry for Civil Affairs will implement job vacancy procedure for selection of one member from national minorities and propose the selected candidate to the Council of Ministers of BIH. (end)
Photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/vijeceministara/albums/72177720314270924/