Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 55th Session

AMENDMENT LAW ON HJPC OF BIH ADOPTED 

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined by majority vote a Proposal Law on Amendment to Law on High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which will be passed to the BIH Parliamentarian Assembly by the Ministry of Justice for consideration under urgent procedure.

The Amendment Law shifts a deadline for establishment and operativity of a Division for Implementation of procedures under reports to Feb,28, 2025, instead of earlier defined March 23, 2024.

This is intended for enabling a smooth operation of judiciary and setting-up fully functional system of check of reports on property, which should strengthen integrity of holders of judicial functions in BH..

It proscribes that all individuals appointed in judiciary from March 23, 2024 to February 28, 2025 may take office, and additional check of their property reports and interests will be made after establishment of the Division for check and action upon reports. If an outcome of additional check wouldl be negative, disciplinary procedure will be initiated in accordance with earlier defined rules.

NO CONCENSUS ON MOURNING DAY IN BIH

The Council of Ministers of BIH failed, after two rounds of vote, to reach a consensus for decision taking on declaration of July 11^th a mourning day in Bosnia and Herzegovina, proposed by Deputy Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Zukan Helez.

EUR FIVE MILLION LOAN FOR “ADAPTIVE TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT IN SARAJEVO”

The Council of Minister of BIH defined a Proposal Contract No.1 on Amendmenr to Loan Contract, singed on April 12, 2022 (GrCF W2 – Sarajevo Public Transport e-Mobility) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, worth EUR five million.

Additional funds are directed for realisation of an “Adaptive Traffic Management” Project, which includes procurement of modern intelligent system for management and surveillance of traffic, with priorities of public transport, video surveillance system and incidents video detection, based on new technologies.

The project implies development of a centre for permanent monitoring of situation on crossroads, and appropriate measure taking for solving traffic congestion at certain cross-roads and dealing with of incident situations.

Additional loan is allocated to the Federation of BIH, Sarajevo Canton – Ministry of Traffic, with term of 15 years and three-year grace period with EURIBOR interest rates.

The Proposal Contract will be provided to the BIH Presidency for further decision-making procedure, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury will be proposed for the  BIH signatory thereof.

PALE CENTRAL HEATING PROJECT SUPPORTED

The Council of Ministers defined a Proposal Loan Contract (Pale Central Heating Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, with Platform for its conclusion.

The aim of the Project is modernisation of the central heating system in Pale, which includes instalment of boilers on biomass and natural gas and two reservoirs for heath accumulation.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development extends EUR 7 million loan to Bosnia and Herzegovina  with allocation to Republika Srpska, with a 15-year term, including three-year grace period.

Simultaneously, the session confirmed a Proposal Grant Contract between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, worth EUR 3 million for the Central Heating in Pale Project.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will provide individual Proposal Contracts with Platforms for their conclusion to the BIH Presidency for further procedure,, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury will be the BIH signatory.

AMENDMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTS TO AGREEMENT: RECOVERY AND SUPPORT TO COMPANIES

The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal Amendments and Supplements to Laon Agreement and Project Agreement of Republika Srpska between Bosnia and Herzegovina, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) (Bosnia and Herzegovina – Companies Recovery and Support Project, Loan No. 9183-BA).

An Earlier concluded Loan Agreement between BIH and the IBRD worth EUR 56 million, of which EUR 33,600,000 or 60% for the Federation of BIH and EUR 22,400,000 for Republika Srpska for support to recovery of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises hit by Covid-19, are amended in a part referring to the Project Agreement of Republika Srpska.

The Amendments of the Project Agreement of Republika Srpska are directed to a new definition of project aims, considering the end of the pandemics, so proceeds are directed to support to recovery of MSMEs after the Covid-19 pandemics. The Republika Srpska Investment-Development Bank Management requested cancelling of a part of loan in amount of EUR 15,584,00 0due to  a low implementation level.

The Proposal Amendments and Supplements to the Loan Agreement with Platform for their conclusion will be provided to the BIH Presidency, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury was proposed for signatory thereof.

PROPOSAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN UAE AND BIH TO BE PASSED TTO PRESIDNECY OF BIH

The Council of Ministers of BIH tasked the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to provide to the BIH Presidency a Proposal Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Arab Emirates on Investments Promotion and Protection, after it adopted a negotiation report for conclusion of the Agreement.

The Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations should sign the Agreement, by which the two states strengthen their cooperation.

The Agreement is intended to create favourable conditions for contracting parties’ investing in territory of other party, by granting a preferable nation treatment to both investments and investors, with a full protection and security thereof. An initiative of the United Arab Emirates for conclusion of the Agreement exists form 1999, however despite earlier two attempts, no mutually acceptable solutions were reached. Therefore, negotiations were initialled anew, resulting in agreement on the text agreement and initialling thereof on Nov. 29, 2023 in Abu Dabi.

UNIVERSAL PERIODIC REVIEW OF HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN BIH

The Council of Ministers took a decision, in a new text, on appointment of a Work Gorup for drafting a report om implementation of the Fourth Round of Universal Periodic Review (UPR) on Human Rights Situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Work Group, comprised of representatives of competent institutions of BIH, Entities and the Brčko District of BIH, should develop a proposal report on implementation of the Fourth Round of UPR, by Oct, 1, 2024, at latest, along with a breakdown of activities taken for fulfilment of earlier decisions for improvement of human rights protection in BIH, and which the Ministry for Refugees and Human Rights will provide to the Council of Ministers of BIH for consideration and adoption.

The Work Group meetings, chaired over by the Ministry’s for Human Rights and Refugees Kemo Sarač, may be attended by representatives of international institutions and organisations, and academic communities, as observers.

Bosnia and Herzegovina has thus far provided three UPR reports to the UN Council for Human Rights, namely, in 2010, 2014, and in 2019.

PUBLIC AD FOR MEMBERS OF CIVIL SERVICE AGENCY APPLEATION BOARD

The Council of Ministers of BIH took note of an expiry of mandates to member of the Civil Service Agency Appellation Committee.

In accordance with the Law on Civil Service in BIH, the Council of Minister of BIH will appoint members of the Civil Service Agency Appellation Board for a four-year term, with a possibility of reappointment withoit publishing a public ad for the same term.

Since term of Mladenko Čavara expires on July 24, 2024, while other two members, Dario Krstić and Enes Obralja remain in office by Nov. 17, 2024, the public ad for all three posts will be published.

REALISATION OF CEEPUS III PROGRAMME IN BIH

The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information on realisation of Central European Programme of Exchange of University studies (CEEPUS III) in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023, which will be provided to Ministries of Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina by the Minisstry of Civil Affairs.

According to evidence of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, over the past 16 years, since the beginning of realisation of the CEEPUS Programme in BIH, awarded were 1,423 monthly scholarships, conclusive with 2023, for visits of professors and students to BIH Universities, while more than 3,000 monthly scholarships  were awarded to BIH professors and students for staying with foreign partner universities.

Out of total planned 152 monthly scholarships in Bosnia and Herzegovina, realise were total 90.5 scholarships (59.5%) last year, and 120 applicants arrived, with evidence lower realisation of in-coming mobilities.

The piece of information points that the CEEPUS III sets forth harmonisation of a monthly scholarship amount, which member-country ensures for living costs in that country, which sector Ministries in BIH failed to implement over the past 10 years.

HARMONSAITION WITH RULEBOOK ON CONDITIONS FOR PROCUREMENT AND USE OF OFFICIAL VEHICLES

The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent to a Proposal Rulebook on Official Vehicles for Special Purposes of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and diplomatic-consular offices of BIH, for the reason of their harmonisation with a Rulebook on Conditions and Use of Official Vehicles in Institutions of BIH.

The Ministry disposes of eight official vehicles for specialised purposes, of which two vans of higher-middle class, of procurement value of KM 100,000, and six passenger vehicles of middle class, of purchase value of up to KM 70,000.

Toal 125 vehicles for specialised purposes are with the BIH diplomatic-consular offices, of which 66 of middle class of up to KM 70,000.000 purchase value, 54 of lower middle class of up to KM 60,000.000, while five vehicles are of high middle class for welcoming delegations, of purchase value of up to KM 100,000.000.

CONSENT FOR APPOINTMENT

Upon a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a consent was granted for appointment of Colonel R.A.H (Bob) Sagaar for Defence Attaché of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Bosnia and Herzegovina. (end)

Photography: 

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