Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina Holds Its 5th Extraordinary Session

STATE OF NATURAL OR OTHER DISASTER DECLARED IN BIH 

The Council of Ministers of BIH, upon a proposal by the Ministry of Security, took a decision to declare the state of natural or other disaster in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina due to the danger of a possible outbreak of epidemic of contagious disease caused by corona virus (Covid-19), in order to decrease the risk of accelerated spreading of the infection throughout BIH and to enable engagement of additional resources for response to the public health threat.

Prevention and containment of the coronavirus outbreak (COvid-19) is of a general interest for Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Council of Ministers activated a Coordination Body for Protection and Rescue of Citizens and Material Goods from Natural and Other Disasters in BIH, which will carry out its activities in compliance Article 17 of the Framework Law on Protection and Rescue of People and Material Goods form natural and Other Disasters in BIH.

All BIH Institutions and Bodies are obliged to support and put at disposal its capacities to the Coordination Body of BIH, to use them in accordance with planned activities.

Upon a proposal by the Ministry Security a Decision was on Amendments and Supplements to Decision on Setting-up Coordination Body of Bosnia and Herzegovina for Protection and Rescue.

BIH Minister of Security Fahrudin Radončić was appointed Chairman of the  BIH  Coordination Body for Protection and Rescue, and Head of the Ministry of Security Operative-Communication Centre -112 Aleksandar Mandić was appointed for Deputy Chairman. According ot the Framework Law on protection and Rescue of People and material Goods form Natural and Other Disasters in BIH, The BIH Coordination Body for Protection and Rescue is comprised of nine Council of Ministers representatives and five representatives of the Federal and Republika Srpska Governments and two representatives of the Brčko District of BIH.

Heads of Entity and the Brčko District Civilian Protection and other crisis HQ were recommended to take all activities needed to realise fully measures on prevention of the infection outbreak, caused by coronavirus (Covid-10).

The Council of Ministers took decision on supplement to a Decision on additional conditions for foreigners’ entry to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

No additional conditions, of March 15, 2020, for entry to BIH will be applied to drivers and co-drivers of cargo vehicles in international transport in road traffic and aircraft crew and staff, which final destinations is in BIH. In case of international transit by roads, the stay of cargo crew will be limited to 12 hours longest.

Also, earlier set limitations for entry to BIH, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on diplomatic relations, will not apply to diplomatic-consular personnel, resident in BIH, with an obligation for the personnel to comply with measures instructed by the responsible institutions in BIH, including epidemic measures.

The Council of Ministers took a Decision on procedures by BIH Institutions concerning the live and health -threatening danger caused by Covid-19virus outbreak.

All institutions in BIH will be set internal procedures to secure smooth work process with decreased people flow in cases when operations may be carried out at home, i.e. via electronic mail.

Official trips by employees will be postponed, except for those in direct connection with implementation of measures for protection of life and health of citizens, caused by corona virus.

All BIH institutions are obliged to apply measures taken by the Entity, cantonal and Brčko District authorities, as per institution seat or place of operations (if an institution has its branch offices in other city or municipality), which pertain to health security of people.