Federal MPs to discuss Draft Law on Gas today

(Patria) - The 20th regular session of the House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament is scheduled for today in Sarajevo, starting at 10:00 AM. There are nine items on the agenda.

Among other things, a draft law on the administrative declaration of Kiseljak municipality as a city will be considered under an expedited procedure.

Referring to the current Law on Principles of Local Self-Government in FBiH, the FBiH Government, as the proposer, stated that the proposed act "establishes the City of Kiseljak, defines its territory, prescribes the status, bodies, method of election of the city council and mayor, regulates the adoption of a temporary statutory decision, the adoption of a statute, the calling of elections, and other matters".

Citing the prescribed criteria for declaring a municipality a city, such as the norm regarding the number of inhabitants in the wider area and the urban center, the Government also emphasizes the criterion of special historical and cultural significance, and "Kiseljak certainly is".

In the materials forwarded to the Parliament, characteristics and data on the development of the Kiseljak area from ancient times to the present day are listed.

Preserved records or documents from various eras particularly emphasize the healing properties of mineral water springs and, consequently, the interest of visitors (one of the long-ago analyses of its composition notes that the water is a "specialty among European mineral waters").

The current Municipal Council of Kiseljak adopted the Decision on Declaring it a City on December 19, 2023, the FBiH Government notes.

Among the agenda items for today's session is the Draft Law on Gas of FBiH, also proposed by the FBiH Government, at the initiative of the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry.

From the Government, in the proposed text, they highlight the basic goals of implementing energy policy in the natural gas sector, including ensuring the secure supply of natural gas to customers according to defined quality standards and affordable prices.

These also include ensuring the safe, reliable, and efficient operation, maintenance, and development of the distribution system and providing the prescribed quality of natural gas distribution services, as well as effective regulation of activities in this sector, protection of the rights and interests of system users, including the right to network access, security and quality of supply, availability, and development of a competitive natural gas market.

Furthermore, there is the harmonization of the sector's development with the energy and economic policy of FBiH and the rational and economical use of natural gas and environmental protection, as well as harmonization with EU regulations to establish a legal and institutional framework in line with the EU acquis communautaire.

MPs are also expected to vote today on the FBiH Youth Strategy for the period 2025-2034.