FBiH Parliament - Conclusions: Government and EPBiH to conduct analysis to determine further steps regarding mines and miners

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - The House of Representatives of the FBiH Parliament today supported the Proposal on Amendments to the Law on the Default Interest Rate on Public Revenues, under an urgent procedure, and the Proposal on Amendments to the Law on Misdemeanours under a summary procedure. 

The representatives also supported the Proposal on the Law on Spatial Planning and Land Use at the Federation level, while the Proposal on the Law on Crafts and Related Activities in FBiH was adopted after a roll-call vote.

Draft laws on amendments to the Law on Waters, on encouraging the development of small businesses in FBiH, and the Draft Law on Air Protection also received support.

Drafts on amendments to the Law on the Return, Allocation and Sale of Apartments, and on the Production and Trade of Weapons and Military Equipment were also supported. 

The Draft Law on the FBiH Judicial Police was also supported.

The Work Plan of the FBiH Government for this year was also adopted. 

Several action plans for various strategies within the industry in FBiH were also supported. 

Financial and material reports of the Agency for the Management of Seized Assets were not supported.
The Analytical Report on the work of the FBiH Environmental Protection Fund for 2018 did not receive the required majority support. 

The Report on the Execution of the Financial Plan of the Health Insurance and Reinsurance Institute of the Federation of BiH for 2018 (consolidated) and the Report on the Execution of the Financial Plan of the Federal Solidarity Fund for 2018 (Annex),
18. Reports on work for 2018 received the support of the deputies. 

The following reports on work for 2018 did not receive support:
a) Institute for the Care of Mentally Disabled Persons Drin
b) Institute for the Care of Mentally Disabled Persons - Bakoviči,
c) Institute for the Care of Mentally Disabled Children and Youth Pazarić,
d) Institute for the Education of Male Children and Youth Sarajevo with 
Report on Financial Operations for 2018,
e) Institution within the scope of social protection Ljubuški,

The Commission of the FBiH House of Representatives, which held an extraordinary session today, adopted three conclusions: 

"First and foremost, they propose that the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy of FBiH reconsider the work reports of five such institutes for 2018, and that within 60 days it submits to the Parliament the findings of the FUP, the Prosecutor's Office and the Office for Audit of Institutions of FBiH, they propose organizing a visit to the Pazarić Institute, and that the Government allocate emergency funds for this institute for the upcoming winter season."

The Commission's conclusions received support.

The representatives did not support the Report on the Operations of the Banking Agency of the Federation of BiH for 2018, with Information on the subjects of the banking system of the Federation of BiH as of 31.12.2018, and the Report on the work of the Ombudsman for the Banking System of the Federation of BiH.

Information on the situation in the ZD coal mines operating within the concern JP Elektroprivreda BiH d.d. Sarajevo, with an overview of results for the period 2009-2017 and the Analysis of mine management with an overview of results for the period 2009 - 2017. 

The House of Representatives adopted five conclusions regarding the situation in the mines of the Elektroprivreda BiH Concern: 

"1. The House of Representatives of the Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina takes note of the information from the Federal Ministry of Energy, Mining and Industry on the situation in the mines within the Concern JP Elektroprivreda BiH (EPBiH), with an overview of results for the period 2009-2017 and the Analysis of management with an overview of results for the same period.

2. The Government of the Federation of BiH is tasked with more actively approaching the restructuring of the electricity sector of the mines, including the existing organization of the Concern, with the aim that long-term business plans and mine development are linked to the needs of thermal power plants and other industries and market needs, and to report on this to the Parliament of the Federation of BiH once a year.

3. JP Elektroprivreda Sarajevo is tasked with conducting an analysis of the long-term business viability for each mine, taking into account the market, technical-technological, social and safety conditions of coal exploitation in individual mine units, and based on that, propose the adoption of necessary decisions on the dynamics of closing units as well as initiating capital investments in new capacities and continuing planned investment investments.

4. The analysis of long-term business viability for mines must be completed no later than December 31, 2019, and along with the proposal for closing unsustainable mining units, it is necessary to plan the care of workers from those units (transfer to other units, payment of PIO contributions and retirement, severance pay, etc.).

5. Given that the current collective agreement on the rights and obligations of employers and workers in the mining sector in FBiH expires today, September 11, 2019, the House of Representatives of the Parliament of FBiH demands that the social partners conclude the negotiation process for harmonizing the new Collective Agreement on the rights and obligations of employers and workers in the mining sector in FBiH no later than the end of September 2019."

The session ended, and the next one is scheduled for September 24 and 25.