Council of Ministers of BiH adopts amendments to the Law on Administrative Procedure

(Patria) - The 79th session of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina was held today in Sarajevo.

Public Administration Reform

The Council of Ministers of BiH unanimously adopted, with accepted nomotechnical corrections, the Bill on Amendments to the Law on Administrative Procedure, proposed by the Ministry of Justice with the aim of ensuring prerequisites for the continuation of the digital transformation of public administration in BiH institutions.

In accordance with the recommendations of the European Commission, the amendments to the Law will simplify and modernize the administrative procedure and shorten the time for providing services to citizens and business entities by introducing an obligation for administrative bodies to obtain data on facts for which official records are kept ex officio, which is an important step forward for the public administration reform process.

The amendments to the Law facilitate the initiation of administrative procedures, applying the "only once" principle, which represents one of the most significant changes brought by this law.

Innovations in this law include a single point of contact that allows a party to submit multiple requests to the administrative body as needed, and the introduction of a video communication platform through which a party can make a statement, and in this way, with the prior provision of technical conditions, oral hearings can also be conducted.

The Bill, with incorporated nomotechnical corrections, will be submitted to the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH for consideration under the basic legislative procedure.

Problems of Professional Drivers

The session adopted the Information on the problems of transporters, prepared by the Ministry of Communications and Transport at the request of the Council of Ministers of BiH from the 77th session, held on April 22, 2025.

The Ministries of Security and Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina are tasked, within their jurisdiction, within a period not exceeding 15 days, to provide the Ministry of Communications and Transport with information on activities undertaken in accordance with previously adopted conclusions of the Council of Ministers of BiH.

The Ministry of Communications and Transport is obliged to submit to the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina a consolidated information on undertaken activities with proposals for concrete solutions regarding the problems of transporters, and to continue coordinating activities in this area.

Minister Forto informed the Council of Ministers of BiH that the competent ministers of the Western Balkan countries, at the meeting of the Ministerial Council of the EU Transport Community in Belgrade in mid-May this year, supported his initiative for a regional approach to resolving the issue of restrictions for professional drivers from the region as soon as possible.

It was concluded at the meeting that regulations and access to the profession in the field of transport must be harmonized with those in the Union and be recognized by the European Union without delay, in order to eliminate unnecessary barriers between WB6 members and the European Union.

The frequency of considering information on the problems of transporters undoubtedly confirms the commitment of the Council of Ministers of BiH to resolve this issue and ensure equal treatment for professional drivers from BiH ahead of the announced introduction of the entry/exit system (EES) at the end of the current year.

Road Infrastructure in RS

The Council of Ministers of BiH adopted the Draft Loan Agreement (Sustainable, Integrated, and Safe Road Infrastructure Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), worth EUR 81,700,000.

The project objectives are to improve the selected priority network of main roads in Republika Srpska, which will enable better transport connectivity and strengthen road network management for climate resilience and road safety.

The project also includes improving conditions on the road section between Brod na Drini (Foča) and Hum (Šćepan Polje), in accordance with climate resilience standards.

Loan funds will be allocated to Republika Srpska - JP Putevi Republike Srpske, with a repayment period of 32 years and a grace period of seven years.

The Draft Loan Agreement, along with the Basis for its conclusion, will be submitted to the Presidency of BiH for further procedure, and the Minister of Finance and Treasury has been proposed as the BiH signatory.

Interreg Europe Program

The Council of Ministers of BiH adopted the Draft Financing Agreement for the Interreg program (Interreg VI-C) Interreg Europe for the period 2021-2027 between the European Union (EU), 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, and the French Republic, represented by the French region of Hauts-de-France.

The aim of the agreement is to respect common values, such as respect for and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, democratic principles, the rule of law, and horizontal principles for the implementation of cohesion policy programs.

The program area covers 27 EU member states, and includes certain regions in Norway and Switzerland, as well as Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, the Republic of Moldova, and Ukraine.

The total budget of the program is EUR 493,103,338.00, of which the European Union's contribution is EUR 394,482,670.00, while EUR 98,620,668.00 represents co-financing from participating countries.

The agreement defines the terms of financing and implementation of the Interreg Europe program in Bosnia and Herzegovina, with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III), and the Neighbourhood, Development and International Cooperation Instrument - Global Europe, as well as national co-financing of the program.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will submit the Draft Agreement, along with the Basis for its conclusion, to the Presidency of BiH for further decision-making procedure, and the Director of the Directorate for European Integration of the Council of Ministers of BiH has been proposed as the BiH signatory.

Cross-border Cooperation

At the proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, the Draft Agreement on Amendments to the Financing Agreement for the Serbia - Bosnia and Herzegovina Cross-border Cooperation Program for the period 2021-2027 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, and the Republic of Serbia, represented by the Ministry of European Integration, was adopted.

The initiative to amend this agreement, which was concluded on October 16, 2023, was submitted by the European Commission with the aim of abolishing the ad hoc measure imposed on the entrustment of budget implementation tasks under indirect management of IPA III program beneficiaries.

The Ministry of Finance and Treasury will submit the Draft Agreement, along with the Basis for its conclusion, to the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina for further legally prescribed procedure, and the Director of the Directorate for European Integration has been proposed as the BiH signatory to the agreement.

Biometric Data of Foreigners

The Council of Ministers of BiH, at the proposal of the Ministry of Security, adopted the Decision on the Obligation to Provide Biometric Data of Foreigners.

The Decision, in accordance with the Law on Foreigners, introduces the obligation for foreigners to provide biometric data and their storage in the Central Database of Foreigners, effective from October 1, 2025.
The Decision was made after certain technical conditions were met for biometric data to be entered into the Central Database.

The Law on Foreigners stipulates that foreigners are obliged to provide biometric data when submitting applications for visas and residence, when establishing identity, when imposing a deportation measure, or when placing under supervision or in the process of issuing a certificate of stay.

Public Debt Sustainability

The Council of Ministers of BiH adopted the Analysis of Public Debt Sustainability of Bosnia and Herzegovina for the period 2024-2027, prepared by the Ministry of Finance and Treasury based on the methodology developed by the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The analysis provides an assessment of the current state of public debt in BiH, with an estimate of its movement in the medium-term period, defining the main risks that may affect public debt sustainability.

The results of the analysis indicate that Bosnia and Herzegovina is a country with medium-term sustainable public debt for the period 2024-2027, with projected real growth of 2.4 to 3.3% and inflation of 1.9% to 2.6%. Debt burden indicators according to the baseline scenario and stress tests are within the limits of defined indicators and do not pose a risk to debt sustainability.

Entry into BiH

The Council of Ministers of BiH, at the proposal of the Ministry of Security, adopted the Decision on Approving Entry and Stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina under Special Conditions.

The Decision approved the organized entry and stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina under special conditions for 630 children from primary schools, citizens of the Republic of Serbia from Kosovo and Metohija, without valid travel documents.

The children will stay in local communities in the Republika Srpska region from June 14 to 22, 2025, as part of an excursion trip.

This is a project implemented in cooperation with primary schools in Kosovo and Metohija, primary schools and local communities in Republika Srpska, with the support of the Ministry of Education and Culture of Republika Srpska.

Trgovska Gora

The Council of Ministers of BiH, at the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, adopted the Report on the Work of the Coordination Body, the Expert Team, and the Legal Team regarding the issue of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel disposal at the Čerkezovac site, Trgovska Gora, Dvor Municipality, Republic of Croatia.

The Report covers the activities of these teams and their members, primarily carried out in 2024, independently and in cooperation with representatives of competent authorities and local communities in BiH, and includes conclusions from meetings and sessions held.

At the same time, at the proposal of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations, the Decision on the Cessation of Validity of the Decision on the Appointment of the Legal Team for the Development of a Strategy for Legal Protection of the Interests of Bosnia and Herzegovina regarding the issue of radioactive waste and spent nuclear fuel disposal at the Trgovska Gora site was adopted.

The need for the Legal Team ceased after the engagement of the international law firm Laborde Law from Paris, France, which will represent Bosnia and Herzegovina in further activities concerning Trgovska Gora.

The justification for this decision states that it was concluded at the meeting of the Coordination Team on January 23, 2025, that the Legal Team be relieved of its duties and that some members be reintegrated into the Expert Team, in order to continue providing legal assistance to both the law firm and domestic bodies, depending on needs and new challenges.

Internal Audit

The Council of Ministers of BiH, at the proposal of the Ministry of Finance and Treasury, adopted the Annual Consolidated Internal Audit Report for 2024, which shows an increase in the number of audit reports in BiH institutions compared to the previous period.

The Report, prepared by the Central Harmonization Unit, states that last year, 19 out of a total of 20 internal audit units prepared 142 audit reports, of which 75 were regular audits, two ad hoc, and 65 follow-up audits, compared to 127 in 2023, an increase of 12% in the number of audits.

The increase in the number of internal audits performed is confirmed by data from the report for the five-year period, starting from 2020, when only 100 audits were performed, of which 50 were regular, three ad hoc, and 47 follow-up audits.

The increase in the number of audits performed was accompanied by an increase in recommendations, which contributes to the improvement of planning and organization of work and greater efficiency in the operations of BiH institutions. Last year, a total of 455 recommendations were issued, slightly fewer compared to 2023, when 481 recommendations were recorded.

Most recommendations relate to public procurement processes, fixed asset management, budget planning and execution, improvement of financial management and control processes, business trips, and areas related to the specifics of institutional operations.

The internal audit system is part of the Public Internal Financial Control (PIFC) system developed by the European Commission, which aims to assist countries in the process of joining the European Union in understanding and implementing well-developed and effective internal control systems.

Viaduct Case

The Council of Ministers of BiH was informed of the conclusions of the 27th session of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina, held on April 15, 2025, regarding the discussion of the Initiative to find a way to pay the debt in the case of Viaduct d.o.o. Portorož, proposed by MP Ermina Salkičević-Dizdarević.

The Council of Ministers of BiH will prepare and submit to the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH a report on all steps taken to protect the property interests of BiH and prevent further damage to the state in the Viaduct d.o.o. Portorož case.

This report will include all activities undertaken and proposed solutions for settling damages in accordance with the Law on Financing of BiH Institutions within the framework of the corrected Draft Law on the Budget of Institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and international obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina for 2025, which has been submitted to the Presidency of BiH, authorized to propose it to the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, which ultimately adopts this law.

At the request of the House of Representatives of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, the Ministry of Finance and Treasury of BiH will prepare a proposal for amendments to the Law on Borrowing, Debt, and Guarantees of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Law on the Procedure for Concluding and Implementing International Agreements.

Institute for Missing Persons

The Council of Ministers of BiH, at the proposal of the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees, adopted the Decision on the Appointment of the Supervisory Board of the Institute for Missing Persons of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Goran Timotija, Igor Bevanda, and Abdulah Đulović have been appointed to the Supervisory Board for a four-year term after the completion of the public tender procedure, enabling the functioning of the Institute for Missing Persons.

The mandates of the previous members of the Supervisory Board of the Institute for Missing Persons of BiH expired back in 2010, but they continued to perform their duties until 2021, when one of the members passed away. After that, its work was hindered because decisions are made by the consensus of all three members.

Council for Standardization

The session also adopted the Decision on the Appointment of Members of the Council for Standardization of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a professional advisory body of the Institute for Standardization of BiH, due to the expiry of the mandate of the previous convocation in 2021.

The Council for Standardization has 25 members who are prominent experts from both entities in Bosnia and Herzegovina in various fields of work, and its tasks are defined by the Law on Standardization of BiH.

Archive Council

The session adopted the Decision on the Appointment of the Archive Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which consists of five members appointed ex officio from the Archives of BiH, while one member each is delegated by the Council of Ministers of BiH and the entity governments, or respective ministries.

The Archive Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina is an advisory body for the field of archival services which, among other things, discusses general issues in the field of archival activity and provides recommendations and opinions on improving the activity, and considers joint programs for the development of archival activity.

The mandate of the members of the Archive Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina is four years, and the Director of the Archives of Bosnia and Herzegovina is its president ex officio.

Change of Members ex officio

The Council of Ministers of BiH, at the proposal of the Ministry of Communications and Transport, adopted the Decision on Amending the Decision on the Appointment of Members and Secretary of the State Committee for Civil Aviation Security of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which makes a functional change of one member.

This involves the appointment of the current Director General of the Directorate for Civil Aviation of BiH, Zorislav Ivanović, instead of the previous director of this directorate, Čedomir Šušnjar.

At the same time, Ivica Bošnjak, Deputy Minister of Security, was appointed to the State Committee instead of the former Minister Nenad Nešić.

Interception of Telecommunications

The Council of Ministers of BiH adopted the Decision on the Appointment of Members of the Joint Steering Committee for Lawful Interception of Telecommunications and the Method of Performing Activities.

By this decision, Ivica Bošnjak, on behalf of the Ministry of Security of BiH, Srđan Pavlović, representative of the State Investigation and Protection Agency, and Emir Sadović, on behalf of the Intelligence-Security Agency of BiH, have been appointed as members of the Joint Steering Committee for a period of four years.

Members of the Joint Steering Committee make their decisions by consensus at sessions attended by all three members.

Rulebook on the Office of the Agent

The session adopted the Rulebook on Amending the Rulebook on the Internal Organization of the Office of the Agent of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina before the European Court of Human Rights, which was prepared by the Ministry of Human Rights and Refugees at the request of the Council of Ministers of BiH.

This harmonizes the Rulebook with the Decision on Amendments and Additions to the Decision on the Agent and the Office of the Agent of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina before the European Court of Human Rights, adopted at the 37th session of the Council of Ministers of BiH held on May 20, 2021, regarding the conditions that the Agent of the Council of Ministers of BiH must meet to be appointed, thereby removing obstacles to initiating a public tender procedure for the selection of the agent.

The prescribed conditions include a completed law degree and bar exam; at least five years of professional experience, including three years in a management position; five years of representing parties before courts in Bosnia and Herzegovina or before the European Court of Human Rights; and active knowledge of English or French.

Public Tender

The Council of Ministers of BiH was informed of the Information from the Ministry of Security regarding the implementation of the tender procedure for the selection of the Director of the Agency for Forensic Examination and Expert Witnessing, as the mandate of the current director, Radiša Samardžija, expired on January 29, 2025.

The Ministry of Security of BiH is tasked with immediately making a decision to announce a call for applications to fill this vacant position, which will be preceded by a decision on establishing the standards and criteria for the selection of the Agency's director, in accordance with the Law on Ministerial Appointments, Appointments by the Council of Ministers of BiH, and Other Appointments of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Agency for Preschool, Primary, and Secondary Education

The Council of Ministers of BiH adopted the Report on the Public Tender Procedure for the Selection and Appointment of Two Members of the Board of the Agency for Preschool, Primary, and Secondary Education.

Following the completion of the tender procedure, Sudo Marić from the Bosniak people and Dejan Vanjek from the Croat people have been appointed as members of the Board, as the highest-ranked candidates from the list of successful applicants.

Previously, Aida Salkić from the Bosniak people and Franjo Ljubas from the Croat people were dismissed from their duties due to the expiry of their mandates.

Public Service Appeals Board

The Council of Ministers of BiH considered the ranking list of successful candidates for the selection and appointment of members of the Public Service Appeals Board, proposed by the Independent Commission for the Selection of Members of the Public Service Appeals Board, after the completion of the public tender procedure.

Mladenko Čavara, Dario Krstić, and Enes Obralija have been appointed as members of the Public Service Appeals Board, as the most successful candidates from the ranking list.

Mašović Deputy Coordinator

The Council of Ministers of BiH appointed Amira Mašović as Deputy Coordinator for Public Administration Reform. She is the most successful candidate in the public tender procedure conducted by the Commission for the Implementation of the Tender Procedure for the Selection and Appointment of the Deputy Coordinator for Public Administration Reform.

Citizenship in the Field of Sports

The Council of Ministers of BiH adopted the Decision on Acquiring Citizenship of Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Field of Sports for Russian Federation citizen Anna Alferova, with the recommendation of the Biathlon Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which was established this year.