Session Interrupted Due to Lack of Quorum: House of Peoples Supports VAT Law Principles

(Patria) - In the continuation of the 16th session, the House of Peoples of the BiH Parliament (PSBiH) adopted, in the first reading, the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Administrative Fees, proposed by the Council of Ministers of BiH.

In the first reading, the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Value Added Tax of Bosnia and Herzegovina, proposed by delegate Želimir Nešković, was also adopted.

The House did not adopt, in the first reading, the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Financing of Political Parties, proposed by delegate Zlatko Miletić.

An amendment to the Rules of Procedure of the House of Peoples of PSBiH, proposed by delegate Ilija Cvitanović, was adopted.

The House of Peoples also adopted the following reports of BiH institutions:

• Report on the Execution of the Budget of BiH Institutions and International Obligations of BiH for 2023, submitted by the Presidency of BiH;

• Report on the Financial Audit of the Report on the Execution of the Budget of BiH Institutions for 2023, submitted by the Office for Audit of BiH Institutions;

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

• Reports of the Office for Audit of BiH Institutions on the Financial Audit of 73 BiH Institutions for 2023;

• Annual Audit Report on Main Findings and Recommendations for 2023, submitted by the Office for Audit of BiH Institutions;

• Report on the Performance Audit on the Topic: "Multi-year Capital Investments", submitted by the Office for Audit of BiH Institutions;

• Report on the Performance Audit on the Topic: "Establishment and Ensuring of Functional Internal Audit in BiH Institutions", submitted by the Office for Audit of BiH Institutions;

• Report: Monitoring the Implementation of Performance Audit Recommendations: "Timeliness of Public Procurement Procedures in BiH Institutions", submitted by the Office for Audit of BiH Institutions;

• Report on the Performance Audit on the Topic: "Expenditures for Court Cases in BiH Institutions", submitted by the Office for Audit of BiH Institutions;

• Report: Monitoring the Implementation of Performance Audit Recommendations: "BiH Institutions' Readiness to Respond to Commitments from the Sustainable Development Program by 2030", submitted by the Office for Audit of BiH Institutions;

• Report on the Implementation of the Revised Strategy for the Implementation of Annex VII of the Dayton Peace Agreement in Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2022, submitted by the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees of BiH;

• Accompanying Report on the Situation in Institutions for Accommodation of Persons with Intellectual and Mental Disabilities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, submitted by the Institution of the Ombudsman for Human Rights of BiH;

• Annual Report in the Field of Agriculture, Nutrition, and Rural Development of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2023, submitted by the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH;

• Special Report Regarding the Prevention of Statelessness Risks in Bosnia and Herzegovina, submitted by the Institution of the Ombudsman for Human Rights of BiH;

• Report on the State of Radiation and Nuclear Safety in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2023, submitted by the State Regulatory Agency for Radiation and Nuclear Safety;

• Report on Issues of Application of the Code of Conduct for Members of Parliament and Delegates in the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2023, submitted by the Joint Committee on Human Rights of PSBiH;

• Report on the Work of the Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH for Citizens' Complaints for 2024;

• Report on the Work of the Parliamentary Military Ombudsman of BiH for 2024.

The House of Peoples of PSBiH did not adopt the Report on the Work of the Independent Board as an independent body of the police structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2024.

The Work Plan of the Independent Board as an independent body of the police structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2025 was adopted.

The following information was acknowledged:

• Information on the situation in the field of migration in Bosnia and Herzegovina for the first six months of 2024, submitted by the Ministry of Security of BiH;

• Information on the annual training and exercise plan for members and units of the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina abroad, submitted by the Ministry of Defense of BiH;

• Information on the state of public debt of Bosnia and Herzegovina as of 31.12.2023, submitted by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH.

The House of Peoples did not adopt the Proposed Conclusion on the Establishment of a Temporary Joint Commission of both Houses of PSBiH for the Implementation of the Procedure for Appointing Members of the Independent Board and the Committee for Citizens' Complaints as Independent Bodies of the BiH Police Structure, proposed by the Joint Collegium of both Houses of PSBiH.

The House of Peoples gave consent for the ratification of:

• Loan Agreement (Sustainable, Integrated, and Safe Road Infrastructure Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development;

• Loan Agreement (Second Programmatic Development Policy Loan for Health Sector) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development;

• Grant Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Investment Bank Mediterranean Corridor: Section of the Vc Highway Tunnel Kvanj – Buna in Bosnia and Herzegovina, European Joint Fund Grant Western Balkans / WB-IG04-BIH-TRA-05, Contract Number: (FI no.) 98144, Operation Number (Serapis no.) 2015-0733;

• Financing Agreement (European Fund for Sustainable Development – EFSD + Special Investment Area 1) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Investment Bank - Poklečani Wind Farm, Contract Number (FI no.) 94.541, Operation Number (SERAPIS no.) 2022-0241;

• Financing Agreement Annual Action Plan for Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2024 between the European Union, represented by the European Commission, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, represented by the Directorate for European Integration of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina;

• Loan Agreement (Energy Efficiency of Public Buildings in the Canton of Tuzla), between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development;

• Amendments to the Statute of the United Nations Tourism Organization and its Annex – Financing Rules;

• Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro on Social Security and the Administrative Agreement for the Implementation of the Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Montenegro on Social Security.

The continuation of the 16th session of the House of Peoples of PSBiH was adjourned before the consideration of the 37th agenda item due to a lack of quorum.