Sjednice
Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 46th Session
04/22/2024
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations-proposed Rulebook on definition of categories of winery sector products with an ‘EI’ mark, as a confirmation of harmonisation with the EU acquis and relevant international standards.
It is about an implementation by-law, following the Law on organisation of vine market in Bosnia and Herzegovina, earlier adopted in BIH with the ‘EI’ mark.
The Rulebook includes definition of wines, new wine in fermentation, liqueur wine, including kids of sparkling wines, grape must, and wine vinegar.
The aim of the Rulebook is to organise the area of winemaking, viticulture in a single way harmonised with relevant regulations of the European Union.
The Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BIH will, in cooperation with the Council of Ministers Legislation Office, prepare the Rulebook for signing and publication in the “Official Gazette of BIH”.
BIH MID-TERM DEBT MANAGEMENT STRATEGY ADOPTED
The Council of ministers of BIH adopted 2022-2025 Mid-Term Debt Management Strategy of BIH, to be published at the Ministry of Finance and Treasury web site.
The central aim of the Strategy is to secure finances to finance Institutions of BIH, Entities and the Brčko District of BIH with an acceptable cost and risk levels. The additional aim is development of domestic securities market.
The Mid-term Debr Management Strategy of BH is revised annually and it provides a wider picture of BIH debt portfolio through analysis of current dept, indebtedness variations against shocks, and defines mid-term debt management aims, with guidelines to debt decision-makers.
According to the guidelines, to be applied by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury on each new indebting, new foreign debts should be arranged with fix interest rates, longer maturity and grace periods, while EUR is the preferred debiting currency is EUR.
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF BIH ADOPTED ITS WORK PROGRAMME: EU ROAD REFORMS AS PRIORITIES
Upon a proposal of the Office of Chairwoman, the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina 2024 Work Programme was adopted unanimously, with some technical corrections made at the session, following an adoption of relevant work programmes of Ministries, administrative organisations, institutions, and bodies of the Council of Ministers.
The Work Programme contains the most important activities planned by the Council of Ministers, based on proposals by state institutions, which contribute to realisation of strategic aims and priorities defined under both the BIH Institutions Strategic Framework to 20230 and 2024-2026 Mid-Term Work Programme of the Council of Ministers of BIH. It takes regard of other adopted strategic documents directed to, among other things, reforms implementation in public administration, jurisdiction, fight against corruption and organised crime.
Accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the European Union remains the overarching priority of work of the Council of Ministers of BIH, after getting the candidate status and following the European Council decision to open accession negotiations with BIH.
The Council of Ministers of BIH will continue working on implementation of recommendations stemming from the European Commission document and obligations posed under the Stabilisation and Accession Agreement, including UN Agenda 30, all towards sustainable socio-economic development of BIH.
The Programme is focused on achievement of the Council of Ministers of BIH aims and priorities contained in the BIH Institutions Strategic Framework by 2030, developed based on the BIH Sustainable Development Aims Implementation Framework. It defines a shared all-level authorities’ vision for a prosperous, economically and institutionally developed BIH, socially just state with equal opportunities for all its citizens, with developed infrastructure, knowledge-based society, where natural and other resources are used effectively, natural environment preserved, and richness of differences nurtured.
The Council of Ministers of BIH remains dedicated to implementation of the Sustainable Development Aims and will follow the European Union and its member countries’ aims monitoring and reporting policy.
The Council of Ministers of BIH Annual Work Programme contains, in more than 450 pages, activity plan, several reviews of passing normative-legal acts, conclusion of international bilateral contracts, accession to international conventions and other international treaties, along with development, investment and other projects reviews.
The Council of Ministers Secretariat-General will pass the Council of Ministers Work Programme to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly House of Representatives.
BIH AND ITALY BOOST THEIR ECONOMIC COOPERATION
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Decision on Ratification of an Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republic of Italy on Economic Cooperation, tabled by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, after the Agreement was signed this March.
By taking effect of the Agreement, the two states will, within their national legislation, promote expansion and diversification of mutually beneficial economic cooperation.
This is to contribute to development of the two countries’ economies, research possibilities of joint action at the third markets, and incite cooperation among economic entities in areas of shared interest.
EU-BIH DICUSSIONS CONTINUE AT SUB-COMMITTEE LEVEL
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Directorate for European Integrations-tabled piece of information on holding of the seventh meeting of the Sub-Committee for Economic and Financial Issues and Statistics between the Europa Union an Bosnia and Herzegovina, to be held in Sarajevo, on May 23, 2024.
The session adopted a discussion document and granted its consent to Bosnia and Herzegovina delegation composition.
Cahir of the Delegation Vera Letica of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury will be available to media inquiries as to the meeting.
BUDGET RESERVES
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Finance and Treasury-tabled piece of information on distribution and use of Budge 2023 current reserves, to be passed to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly.
According to the piece of information, out of planned KM 9,198,000 of current budget reserves, approved was KM 8,604.475.49, of which realised was KM 8,403,305.53.
The Council of Ministers approved KM 8,245,575.49 and realised KM 8,044,405.53 in year 2023.
A direct use of current budget reserves based on several decision by the BIH Presidency members was KM 358,900 in 2023, out of total planned KM 360,000.
Witnin the remainder of funds in amount of KM 785,684.47, there is KM 201,169.96 still available but unused.
BARGANING ON COLLECTIVE LABOUR CONTRACT WITH BIH INSTITUTIONS
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Justice-tabled piece of information on a start and course of negotiations on striking a Collective Labour Contract for Employees with Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an assigned a negotiating Team to continue the started activities.
The Negotiating team should provide to the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina within 60 days at latest, its activity report, containing data on progress in negotiations and possible outstanding issues, with a proposal for addressing these.
The Negotiating Team held a constitutive meeting with representatives of authorised trade unions (Trade Union of Civil Servants, and Employees in BIH Institutions, Indirect Taxation Administration Trade Union, and Federation of Trade Unions of Police Bodies in Bosnia and Herzegovina) by the end of this February, setting a three month-deadline for completion of the negotiations.
IMPLEMENTATION OF “PARTNERSHIP FOR OPEN GOVERNMENT” INITIATIVE
The session tasked the Ministry of Justice to start activities on development of 2024-2026 Council of Ministers of BIH Action Plan for Implementation of “Partnership for Open Government” Initiative.
An earlier adopted Action Plan Implementation Report presented results of assumed obligations.
This is the second Action Plan of the Council of Ministers of BIH for implementation of the Partnership for Open Government Initiative, which came as a result of joint efforts by civil society organisations and public administration bodies in the process of defining priority areas and creatin of measures for promotion of openness of public administration bodies towards citizens.
The main priority areas embracing 10 measures and 30 activities from the Action Plan, highlight the following: open data, public procurement, anti-corruption measures, budget transparency, relevance of regulation of real ownership for the purpose of increased transparency, AML/CFT, and free access to information.
According to the report, most obligations undertaken are in the process of realisation or in the final stage of it, even though the action plan was adopted on Nov.10,2022, with implementation deadline to August 31, 2024.
76 RECOGNISED MINERAL AND SPRING WATERS IN BIH
The session adopted the Food Safety Agency of BIH-tabled 2023 Activity Report of a Committee for Recognition of Natural Mineral, Natural Source and Table Waters in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The Committee considered last year 21 requests for recognition of natural mineral and source waters, and table waters in BIH, out of which 16 were resolved affirmatively, while five were discarded as unfounded.
The Food Safety Agency published in the “Official Gazette” and its web site in early 2024 a list of recognised natural mineral and spring waters in Bosnia and Herzegovina, classifying total 76 waters, out of which 42 natural spring waters and 34 natural mineral waters, while 11 are listed as table waters in BIH.
OPINION ON PROPOSAL ELECTION LAW BY GROUP OF DEPUTIES
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined and will pass to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly an Opinion by the Ministry of Justice on a Proposal Law on Amendments and Supplements of the Election Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina, proposed by Deputies Šemsudin Dedić, Edin Ramić, Safet Kešo, Denijal Tulumović, Amor Mašović, Nermin Mandra, Šerif Špago, and Midhat Čaušević.
The Ministry of Justice of BIH reminds in its Opinion at the importance of the Election Law, as a base framework for securing rights of each citizen to participation in the election democratic process and highlights a need for implementation of a public consultations process, not only for the sake of transparency, but for identification of possible problems and challenges in the amendments proposed.
The Opinion also notes that the implementation of the Proposal Law necessitates additional funds in Bosnia and Herzegovina Institutions budget, of which the Ministry of Finance and Treasury should reflect, especially since a precise amount and way of funding was not defined.
The Ministry of Justice considers the proposer of the Amendments and Supplements to the Election Law should be the Council of Ministers of BIH which has expert capacities for drafting and cooperation with other institutions and bodies within the state administration, which is key to ensuring harmonisation of the proposed amendments with other legal and regulatory frameworks of the country.
TRAINING AND EXCERCISED PLAN OF ARMED FORCES OF BIH FOR 2024
The Council of Ministers of BIH took note, in the second round of vote, a piece of information on the Annual Plan of Training and Exercises of Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina abroad in 2024, and the Ministry of Defence will pass it to the BIH Presidency and BIH Parliamentarian Assembly.
According to the piece of information, staff members of the Armed Forces of BIH will take part in 15 international exercises this year, out of which nine under sponsorship of USAREUR, USAFE and HJFC Napoli.
Simultaneous exercised will be held within initiatives B9 and A5, while five exercises were planned within bilateral military cooperation.
The piece of information provides a breakdown of trainings in 2024 featuring members of the Armed Fores of BIH, based on relevant cooperation plans and programmes.
COMMITTEE FOR REGISTRATION OF MARKS OF ORIGIN APPOINTED
The Council of Ministers of BIH took the Food Safety Agency-proposed Decision on appointment of a committee for registration of marks of origin, marks of geographic origin and for awarding marks of guaranteed traditional specialty of food products in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The seven-member Committee, with four-year term, includes representatives from the Food Safety Agency, the state-level Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, Entity Ministries of Trade and Tourism, Agriculture and Forestry, Water Utility and Government of the Brčko District of BIH.
The Committee considers, among other things, requests for registration of origin and geographic origin, including marks of guaranteed traditional specialty of food products, and proposes to the Agency decision-taking on mark registration. (end)
Ling to Photo:
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