Sjednice
PROPOSAL AMENDMENT OF RS RAILWAYS RESTRUCTURING PROJECT
04/19/2023
The Proposal Amendment does not include new borrowing for Bosnia and Herzegovina, but extends the arrangement to Dec. 31, 2024, when the project should be completed.
Earlier, the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development approved the loan to Bosnia and Herzegovina in amount of EUR 51,300,000.00, allocated to Repbulika Srpska, specifically to the Railways of Republika Srpska.
The Proposal Amendment with basics for its conclusion will be sent to the BIH Presidency for further procedure, with a proposal for the Minister of Finance and Treasury of BIH as the BIH signatory thereof.
COOPERATION WITH GOVEMENT OF KUWAIT IM DEFENCE
The session defined unanimously the Ministry of Defence-proposed Platform and appointed a negotiating team for conclusion of an agreement between the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Government of the State of Kuwait on cooperation in defence.
This would create a legal framework for strengthening cooperation in numerous defence areas, including among others, military education and training, support to logistics, crisis management, military medicine and special purpose industry.
A kind and extend of cooperation in defence will be harmonised though annual plans of bilateral cooperation.
The Proposal Basics for conclusion of the Agreement will be provided to the BIH Presidency, with a proposal for the Minister of Defence as signatory of the Agreement.
AGREMENT RATIFICATION FOR SECOND EMPLOYMENT SUPPORT PROJECT
The Council of Ministers of BIH defined a Proposal decision on ratification of a Loan Agreement (Second Employment Support Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, singed on Feb. 9, 2023 in Sarajevo.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will send a proposal Decision on Ratification of the Agreement to the BIH Presidency for further adoption procedure.
The EUR 39 mil. Loan Agreement will be used for an increase of employment in private sector, of which EUR 23 million will be allocated to the Federation of BIH and EUR 14 million to Republika Srpska.
COMBIH SUPPORT TO FREE MOVEMENT AGREEMENTS WITHIN BERLIN PROCESS
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Civil Affairs piece of information on signed agreements on freedom of movement within the Berlin Process.
The Ministry of Civil Affairs will send relevant piece of information to the BIH Presidency for further procedure in accordance with the Law on Conclusion and Execution of International Treaties, with a proposal for initials of signatory to be equally effective as signature thereof, in accordance with the Vienna Convention on legality of international treaties, which creates conditions for the ratification of the agreements.
It is about two agreements, on recognition of high education qualifications and on recognition of professional qualifications of doctors of medicine, doctors of dental medicine and architects in the context of Central European Free Trade Agreement.
The Agreements were signed in Berlin on November 3, 2022 within the Berlin Process Summit, and the BIH signatory was then Chairman of the Council of Ministers of BIH Zoran Tegeltija.
Taking effect of the agreements will facilitate mobility of students, academic staff, researchers and experts, and will improve cooperation in the Western Balkans.
BIH ACCEDES TO FINANCE MINISTERS CONFERENCE FOR CLIMATE ACTION
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information on accession to coalition of finance ministers for climate action.
The Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BIH will submit an application for membership to the Finance Ministers Coalition for Climate Action Secretariat.
Bosnia and Herzegovina will, though its membership in the Finance Ministers Coalition for Climate Action by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, join fiscal and economic policy decision-makers from more than 70 countries for the sake of global response to climate changes.
The Coalition was formed in April 2019, and its activities include economic and financial aspects of green transformation, decarbonisation strategy and carbon pricing, funding of accommodating to climate changes, as well as development of knowledge, skills and tools for exchange of the best practice for inclusion of climate aspects to economic and financial policies.
PUBLIC DEBT SHARE IN GDP STILL BELOW 30%
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted the Ministry of Finance and Treasury-tabled piece of information on public debt of Bosnia and Herzegovina as at Dec. 31, 2022.
The public debt of BIH as at Dec 31, 2022 was KM 13 billion and 8,29 million, of which foreign debt was KM 9 billion and 802.12 million, and internal debt was KM 3 billion and 206.17 million.
The total public debt was increased for KM 151.21 million or 1.18% in respect to Dec. 31,2021, while the foreign debt was increased for KM 64.67 million, and internal one for KM 86.54 million.
In total breakdown of public indebtedness, the Federation of BIH participates with 51.16% and Republika Srpska with 48.86%, while BIH Institutions participate with 0.61% and the Brčko District of BIH with 0.37%.
The BIH public debt share in GPD was 29.17%.
The BIH foreign debt servicing was KM 864.57 million, of which KM 695.11 million was principal amount, and KM 169.46 million or 19.6% was the interest.
MIGRATIONS STATUS
The Council of Ministers of BIH adopted a piece of information by the Ministry of Security on situation in the area of migrations in Bosnia and Herzegovina for February 2023, and will provide it to the BIH Presidency.
The Foreigners’ Affairs Service registered 1,543 illegal migrants in February 2023, which is for 4% less than in January. However, the first two months of this year had almost three times less illegal migrants than in the same time period last year.
The migration movements this February were affected by favourable weather conditions, possibility of non-visa entrance to some Western Balkans countries, from which illegal migrants try to realise illegal entering to the European Union area, including other drivers that shaped-up migrations along the Western Balkans route.
Among the first five countries of migrants origin there are Afghanistan, Morocco,, Cuba, Turkey and DR Congo, and citizens of Afghanistan are the eight subsequent months the most numerous groups of illegal migrants registered in the BIH territory, while in February they numbered almost half of all illegal migrants (47%) this February.
An intention to apply for asylum was reported to 1,326 individuals, of which seven only applied for it.
Fur temporary accommodation centres (total capacity for 4,880 individuals) accommodated 855 at average this February, and as at Feb 28, 2023 there were 657. The temporary accommodation centre “Blažuj” accommodated the most of migrants, 558 at average, and on Feb. 29, 2023, there were 421 persons registered.
The BIH Border Police registered 682 individuals in illegal border crossing or in an attempt to it, which is 10% less than in the previous month. Total 277 individuals were registered at routes from Serbia and Montenegro in February 2023, with 221 those deverted from an attempt of illegal entering the country, pursuant o the Law on Border Control. The major burden of migrants pressure to BIH border was registered at the area of Border Police Zvornik, Hum Foča and Bijeljina.
FUNCTIONALITY OF COORDINATION BODY SECURED
The Ministry of Security-proposed Decision amending Decision on designating a Coordination Team for development of system and procedures of return and acceptance of citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina from Syria and Iraq conflict zones was adopted, with technical correction made at the session.
The Decision is about functional amendments concerning replacements of earlier appointed members of the Coordination Team, proposed by the sourcing institutions.
The Coordination Team, comprised of representatives of relevant State, Entity and Brčko District of BIH institutions, was earlier appointed as a cross-sector expert body of the Council of Ministers of BIH for development of a system and procedures for safe, humane and controlled return and acceptance of BIH citizens from conflict zones in Syria and Iraq and for coordination of repatriation thereof.
REALISATION OF 84% CoMBIH CONCLUSIONS LAST YEAR
The Council of Ministers of BIH considered the Secretariat-General-tabled Breakdown of realisation of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina conclusions for Jan1 – Dec 31, 2022.
The breakdown covered 35 institutions of the Council of Ministers of BIH, which realised 483 or 84% of total taken 578 conclusion, and 95 conclusions were not realised. A part of the review was elaboration by 587 institutions on the level of realisation of the conclusions.
The breakdown was followed by certain conclusions by which the conclusion realisation is wanted to be stepped-up, thus improving efficacy of work of the Council of Ministers of BIH.
CONSENT TO APPOINTMENT
Upon a proposal by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a consent was granted for appointment of Edward Thomas Taylor to the post of defence attaché of the Great Britain in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with his seat in Sarajevo.
ENABLED POOLING BNY CITISZENS FO TURKEY
The Council of Ministers of BIH granted its consent for pooling by citizens of the Republic of Turkey in the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina in time period May 5-7, 2023 in the first round, and time period of May 20-21, 2023 in the second round oat presidential elections.
Turkish citizens staying n BIH may vote in the premises of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey in Sarajevo and its General Consulate offices in Banja Luka and Mostar in time between 9.00 and 21.00 hrs in the first round of vote, and in time from 8.00 to 23.00 hrs in the second round of vote. (end)