The Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH), at the session scheduled for Tuesday, December 16th, is expected to vote in the second round on the Draft Decision on the Establishment of the Office of the Chief Negotiator of BiH with the European Union (EU) as a temporary body of the Council of Ministers of BiH, proposed by the Cabinet of the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BiH.
The ministers are also expected to consider the new text of the Draft Law on the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council (HJPC)of BiH, as well as the new text of the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on the Court of BiH, both proposed by the Ministry of Justice of BiH.
Adopting the law on the HJPC and the amendments to the Law on the Court of BiH, as well as appointing the chief negotiator, are conditions for opening negotiations between BiH and the EU.
However, the previous two sessions of the Council of Ministers of BiH could not be held because the ministers from Republika Srpska (RS), Stasa Kosarac and Srdjan Amidzic, did not support the agenda on which these three items were to be included.
The Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Borjana Kristo, said at the beginning of this week, after the session failed to be held for the second time, that political will was lacking again.
According to her, the intention had been for that session to handle the “European priorities,” meaning the HJPC law and the amendments to the Law on the Court of BiH, and for the ministers in the second round to vote on the decision establishing the chief negotiator of BiH with the EU.
“I will continue to work as I have worked, in the same way and at the same pace. I immediately scheduled a new session for December 16th. We must work, and everyone should show their political will and responsibility for everything ahead of us and everything that is our task,” the Chairwoman of the Council of Ministers of BiH, Borjana Kristo, said at the time, adding that where there is a will, there is a way.
In addition to the three agenda items related to meeting the conditions for opening negotiations with the EU, the Council of Ministers of BiH is also expected at its December 16th session to consider the Information on the Status of the Reform Agenda of BiH, the obligations under the Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, and the upcoming institutional steps of BiH, proposed by the Directorate for Economic Planning.
They are also expected to consider the Information on the implementation of the “Defence Review” Implementation Plan and the Action Plan for Implementing the “Plan for the Development and Modernization of the Armed Forces of BiH(AFBiH) 2017–2027,” as well as the Information on the Annual Plan of Training and Exercises of members and units of the AFBiH abroad for 2026.
Also expected on the agenda is the new text of the Information on the situation in the area of migration in BiH for the first six months of this year, as well as the Information on the prepared Additional Information concerning the implementation of GRECO recommendations in the fourth round of evaluation.
It is foreseen, among other things, that the ministers will consider the Draft Opinion on the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on the State Investigation and Protection Agency, as well as the Draft Decision on determining the annual quota of work permits for employing foreigners in BiH for 2026.
The Draft Decision on approving funds from the current budget reserve of the Budget of BiH Institutions and International Obligations of BiH for 2025, to support efforts to remediate the consequences of fires in the city of Tuzla and the municipality of Vlasenica, is also one of the planned agenda items.
