House of Peoples adopts amendments to the Law on Salaries and Other Benefits in Judicial and Prosecutorial Institutions at the BiH level

(Patria) - The House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament (PSBiH) at today's session adopted by urgent procedure the Law on Amendments to the Law on Salaries and Other Benefits in Judicial and Prosecutorial Institutions at the BiH level, proposed by the Council of Ministers of BiH.

The Collegium of the House, acting as a commission, previously reached an agreement to consider this Bill by urgent procedure.

The House, in the first reading, adopted the Bill on Amendments to the Rules of Procedure of the House of Peoples of the PSBiH, proposed by delegate Ilija Cvitanović.

The House of Peoples adopted:

• Decision on amending the Decision on appointing members of the standing commissions of the House of Peoples of the PSBiH;

• Decision on amending the decision on electing members of the joint commissions of both houses of the PSBiH.

The House of Peoples decided that the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Service in the Armed Forces of BiH, proposed by Džemal Smajić, be considered under an abbreviated legislative procedure.

The House previously did not adopt the proposer's request to consider this bill by urgent procedure.

The House decided that the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Financing of Political Parties, proposed by Zlatko Miletić, be considered under the regular legislative procedure.

The House previously did not adopt the proposer's request to consider this Bill by urgent procedure, nor was the proposal to consider this Bill under an abbreviated legislative procedure accepted.

The House did not accept the negative opinion of the Commission for Finance and Budget of the House of Peoples of the PSBiH on the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Administrative Fees in the first reading, proposed by the Council of Ministers of BiH. The Commission is tasked with submitting a new opinion on the aforementioned Bill.

The House supported the delegate initiative of Zlatko Miletić, by which the House of Peoples of the PSBiH, based on Articles 17, 28, 34, and 35 of the Law on the Council of Ministers of BiH, requests the Council of Ministers of BiH and the Government of the Federation of BiH to provide urgent information on the catastrophic floods in BiH on October 3/4, 2024, in the towns of Jablanica, Konjic, Kiseljak, Fojnica, Kreševo, and Visoko, including: consequences, fatalities, amount of material damage, safety assessment with information on geological surveys in the mentioned towns, methods of providing assistance and rehabilitation of residential buildings, road, railway, utility, and communication structures, amount of humanitarian aid collected and distribution method, responsibility for victims, especially at the Donja Jablanica site, and other issues.

The House did not support:

• the delegate initiative of Džemal Smajić, which requests the Ministry of Defence of BiH to prepare and submit to the Council of Ministers of BiH for adoption within 30 days a Bill on Amendments to the Law on the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which would increase the age limit for professional military service in the Armed Forces of BiH from 40 to 45 years, as it would be rational and economical to retain these soldiers in service, especially considering the fact that a significant number of soldiers are missing in the Armed Forces of BiH;

• the delegate initiative of Džemal Smajić, which states: "It is necessary for the Administrative Inspectorate of BiH to conduct an inspection in eight institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina because they acted contrary to Article 27, Paragraph 3 of the Law on Administration and have not submitted the requested data on national representation to the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH even after more than four months from the date of the request, and for the Administrative Inspectorate, in accordance with Article 76 of the Law on Administration, to order these institutions to urgently submit the requested data."

The Collegium of the House, acting as a commission, reached an agreement on the Report on the Work of the Committee on Citizens' Complaints of the PSBiH for 2023, whereby this Report is considered adopted.

The House adopted:

• Report on the performance audit conducted on the topic: "Entrusted Public Affairs within the Competence of BiH Institutions - Case Study: Ministry of Communications and Transport of BiH", submitted by the BiH Institutions Audit Office;

• Report on the work of the BiH Parliamentary Military Ombudsman for 2023;

• Report on the accommodation of refugees and foreigners under subsidiary protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2022, submitted by the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH;

• Report on the work of the Commission for Deciding on Conflicts of Interest for 2023;

• Report on the work of the Independent Commission for Monitoring the Conditions of Stay in Institutions, Treatment and Respect for the Human Rights of Persons Serving Criminal Sentences and Other Measures Imposed in Criminal Proceedings by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Foreign Courts for Offenses Provided for by the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina or an International Treaty to which Bosnia and Herzegovina is a signatory, or another court in accordance with the Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2023.

The House adopted the reports on the work of the standing commissions of the House of Peoples of the PSBiH for 2023, namely:

• Report on the work of the Constitutional-Legal Commission of the House of Peoples of the PSBiH;

• Report on the work of the Commission for Finance and Budget of the House of Peoples of the PSBiH;

• Report on the work of the Commission for Foreign and Trade Policy, Customs, Transport and Communications of the House of Peoples of the PSBiH.

The House also adopted the reports on the work of the joint standing commissions of both houses of the PSBiH for 2023, namely:

• Report on the work of the Joint Commission for European Integration of the PSBiH;

• Report on the work of the Joint Commission for Defence and Security of BiH;

• Report on the work of the Joint Commission for Oversight of the Intelligence-Security Agency of BiH;

• Report on the work of the Joint Commission for Human Rights of the PSBiH;

• Report on the work of the Joint Commission for Administrative Affairs of the PSBiH;

• Report on the work of the Joint Commission for Economic Reforms and Development of the PSBiH.

The House of Peoples at today's session also adopted:

• Report on the work and Financial Report of the BiH Postal Services Agency for 2023;

• Report on the work of the State Regulatory Commission for Electric Energy in 2023;

• Report on the activities of the BiH Institutions Audit Office for 2023;

• Annual Report on the Results of Activities of the Institution of the Ombudsmen for Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2023;

• Annual Consolidated Report on Internal Audit for 2023, submitted by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH;

• Report on Personal Data Protection in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2023, submitted by the BiH Personal Data Protection Agency;

• Report on Discrimination Incidents in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2022, submitted by the Council of Ministers of BiH;

• Consolidated Annual Report on the Financial Management and Control System in BiH Institutions for 2023, submitted by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH;

• Report on the review of the financial operations of political parties in 2021, submitted by the BiH Central Election Commission;

• Report on the implementation of laws within the competence of the BiH Central Election Commission in 2023, submitted by the BiH Central Election Commission;

• Special Report: "Analysis of the Implementation of Recommendations of the Ombudsmen for Human Rights of Bosnia and Herzegovina", submitted by the Institution of Ombudsmen for Human Rights;

• Report on the performance audit conducted on the topic: "Procurement of Air Tickets in BiH Institutions", submitted by the BiH Institutions Audit Office;

• Report on the work of the BiH Appeals Review Office for 2023;

• First Periodic Report on the Introduction of New Technologies in the Electoral Process in Bosnia and Herzegovina, submitted by the BiH Central Election Commission;

• Special Report on the Situation in Detention Facilities in Certain Police Directorates in Bosnia and Herzegovina, submitted by the BiH Institution of Ombudsmen for Human Rights;

• Report on the work of the Commission for Election and Oversight of the Work of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of Fight against Corruption of the PSBiH for 2023;

• Report on the work of the BiH Council of National Minorities for 2023;

• Report on the work of the Temporary Investigative Commission of the House of Peoples of the PSBiH for obtaining information on the work of the Commission for the Preservation of National Monuments.

The House did not adopt:

• Report on the work of the BiH Prosecutor's Office for 2023;

• Annual Report of the BiH Central Bank for 2023;

• Annual Report of the BiH High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council for 2023.

The House did not take note of:

• Information on the distribution and use of current budget reserve funds for 2023, submitted by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH;

• Information on the work of the BiH Prosecutor's Office for 2023.

The House of Peoples appointed Goran Orašanin as the representative of the academic community to the Commission for Election and Oversight of the Work of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of Fight against Corruption.

The House also appointed Njegosava Sjtepanović as a member of the Independent Commission for Monitoring the Conditions of Stay in Institutions, Treatment and Respect for the Human Rights of Persons Serving Criminal Sentences and Other Measures Imposed in Criminal Proceedings by the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Foreign Courts for Offenses Provided for by the Criminal Code of Bosnia and Herzegovina or an International Treaty to which Bosnia and Herzegovina is a signatory, or another court in accordance with the Law of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The House dismissed Miroslav Janjić from the position of member of the Committee on Citizens' Complaints of the PSBiH.

The House also dismissed Elvis Kondžić from the position of Director of the Agency for Prevention of Corruption and Coordination of Fight against Corruption.

The House of Peoples gave consent for the ratification of:

• Agreement between the European Atomic Energy Community (EUROATOM) and non-EU countries on the participation of these countries in the Community arrangements for early exchange of information in the event of a radiological emergency (ECURIE);

• Global Convention on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications;

• Council of Europe Convention on Cinematographic Co-production (Revised);

• Amendments to the Bilateral Agreement between the Council of Ministers of BiH and Compania Espanola de Seguros de Cedito a la Exportacion, S.A., Cia de Seguros y Reaseguros S.M.E. (CESCE);

• Agreement on financing the re-establishment of a joint permanent exhibition in Block 17 of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum;

• Agreement between the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina on the accession of Bosnia and Herzegovina to the EU4Health Programme;

• Contract No. 1 on Amendment to the Loan Agreement signed on February 1, 2023 (GrCF2 W2 E2 – Ilidža – Hrasnica Tram Line) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development;

• Contract No. 1 on Amendment to the Loan Agreement signed on April 12, 2022 (GrCF2 W2 Sarajevo Public Transport e-Mobility) between BiH and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development;

• Agreement between the Council of Ministers of BiH and the United Nations Population Fund;

• Loan Agreement (Project for Improvement of Geospatial Infrastructure and Real Estate Valuation) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development;

• Amendments to the Loan and Project Agreement of Republika Srpska between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (Bosnia and Herzegovina - Enterprise Recovery and Support Project, Loan No. 9183-BA).