Economic and Social Development: General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina

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Economic and Social Development: General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina

Implementations

Economic and Social Development – 1995

There was no information available on the setting up of the mentioned public corporations.

Economic and Social Development – 1996

On 14 March 1996, the High Representative for the implementation of the civilian aspect of the Dayton Accord submitted his first report to the Secretary of the U.N. In the report, he mentioned that all parties had nominated representatives to the Commission on Public Corporations.

In a June Office of the High Representative (OHR) Bulletin, it was reported that the EBRD decided to establish its representative office in Sarajevo to closely follow progress in the work of the Commission on Public Corporations.2

  2. “OHR Bulletin 6 – 11 June 1996,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1996, accessed April 28, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/ohr-dept/presso/chronology/bulletins/default.asp?cont… The chairperson position of the commission was held by EBRD.

    As of September 1996, the Commission on Public Corporation had held five sessions and set up two working groups, on electricity and railways. According to a report, “The task of the working groups is to identify problems that ought to be solved within the framework of a public commission. The public commission in question would be the regulating agency for respective companies from both entities addressing issues such as tariffs and norms.”1“3rd Report of the High Representative for Implementation of the Bosnian Peace Agreement to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1996, accessed April 28, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/other-doc/hr-reports/default.asp?content_id=3666.

Economic and Social Development – 1997

In early February of 1997, “the Commission for Public Corporations established a Railways Commission and four Working Groups to address the different aspects of the problem. Progress has however floundered on the differing concepts of the railways structure.” According to the report of High Representative to the UN Secretary General, the Commission on Public Corporations had not reached any agreement on possible institutional structures for joint public facilities. Also, “the Commission has refused to give any guidance to the technical working groups which have been created to examine specific operational problems in some areas.”1

Because the Commission on Public Corporations did not help technical working groups, the High Representative’s legal office issued a legal opinion on the status of public corporations. Following this, the Commission on Public Corporations agreed that railway inter-entity traffic be promptly re-established. It was reported that the commission was set to examine the energy sector, and the working group would work on creating a body between the two entities in order to increase coordination and devise a joint policy in the field.2 As of December 1997, there were no functioning public corporations in Bosnia.

  1. “5th Report of the High Representative for Implementation of the Bosnian Peace Agreement to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1997, accessed April 28, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/other-doc/hr-reports/default.asp?content_id=3668.
  2. “7th Report of the High Representative for Implementation of the Bosnian Peace Agreement to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1997, accessed April 28, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/other-doc/hr-reports/default.asp?content_id=3670.

Economic and Social Development – 1998

In his 8th report to the U.N. Secretary General, the High Representative said that the establishment of the Transportation Corporation was dead in paper. It was said that the OHR called upon the authorities of both entities to implement the recommendation on railroads by 31 March 1998 and urged entities to establish their joint corporations. In this regard, the OHR was very much involved.1

By the end of March 1998, however, a consensus was reached in creating a joint railway public corporation. In a meeting held on 19 March, railway experts from both entities suggested that trains could run in a major part of the network, despite some technical difficulties.2 Finally on April 6, the Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) Railway Public Corporation was established by the Prime Ministers of both Entities.4

It was reported that the Commission met on 6 July 1998, in the presence of the ministers of energy of both the Federation and the RS, to discuss the possible creation of a Public Corporation for electric power transmission.5

The three existing Elektoprivedas signed an agreement to establish a Joint Power Coordination Center for the transmission of electric power, effective on 3 November 1998, and reached agreement on the successive implementation phases.6

  1. “8th Report of the High Representative for Implementation of the Bosnian Peace Agreement to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), accessed April 28, 2011.
  2. “OHR Bulletin 68 – 28 March 1998,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), accessed April 28, 2011.
  4. “OHR: Economic Newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 2, April 1998,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1998, accessed April 28, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/ohr-dept/econ/newsletter/default.asp?content_id=5766….

    In the telecommunication sector, the High Representative decided to impose the telecommunication law of BiH. The representative was said to monitor the situation, and would take whatever actions necessary to ensure full cooperation between three operators. It was expected that the relevant parties would reach an agreement on a Framework Memorandum of Understanding concerning the reorganization of the telecommunication sector.3“Decision imposing the Telecommunications Law of BiH,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1998, accessed April 28, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/decisions/econdec/default.asp?content_id=22.

  5. “11th Report of the High Representative for Implementation of the Peace Agreement to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1998, accessed April 29, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/other-doc/hr-reports/default.asp?content_id=3674.
  6. “12th Report of the High Representative for Implementation of the Peace Agreement to the Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1999, accessed April 29, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/other-doc/hr-reports/default.asp?content_id=3675.

Economic and Social Development – 1999

On July 30, 1999, the High Representative made a decision on the restructuring of the public Broadcasting system in BiH and on freedom of information and the decriminalization of libel and defamation.1 As of 1999, the railway and electricity corporations were functioning well.

  1. “Decisions on the restructuring of the Public Broadcasting System in BiH and on freedom of information and decriminalization of libel and defamation,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 1999, accessed April 28, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/decisions/mediadec/default.asp?content_id=98.

Economic and Social Development – 2000

The Commission on Public Corporations (CPC) met on 14 February 2000 to consider and approve the agreement establishing a Joint Road Infrastructure Public Corporation for BiH. In the meeting, Working Groups on Public Corporation on Posts, Public Corporation for the Gas Sector, and Public Corporation for Ports presented progress reports.2

  2. “Meeting of the Commission on Public Corporations (CPC), February 2000,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 2000, accessed April 29, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/ohr-dept/econ/cpc/meetings/default.asp?content_id=537…

    In October 2000, it was reported that the CPC had recommended the establishment of three further joint public corporations — for natural gas transmission, broadcasting transmission infrastructure (TRANSCO), and power transmission. Additional proposals under investigation included posts, ports, and waterways.1“17th Report by the High Representative for Implementation of the Peace Agreement to The Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 2000, accessed April 29, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/other-doc/hr-reports/default.asp?content_id=3659.

Economic and Social Development – 2001

The five-member CPC met on 17 April 2001 after a five-month hiatus and agreed to move forward with work on the analysis and design of new public corporations in the fields of gas transportation, power transmission, radio transmission infrastructure, and posts.1

  1. “19th Report by the High Representative for Implementation of the Peace Agreement to The Secretary-General of the United Nations,” Office of the High Representative (OHR), 2001, accessed April 29, 2011, http://www.ohr.int/other-doc/hr-reports/default.asp?content_id=5126.

Economic and Social Development – 2002

By 2002, as mandated by Annex 9 of the General Framework Agreement, public corporations were established. Along with establishing public corporations, privatization was also initiated. Also, a $5 billion priority reconstruction plan (World Bank as lead) was implemented.

Economic and Social Development – 2003

No further developments observed.

Economic and Social Development – 2004

No further developments observed.

Economic and Social Development – 2005

No further developments observed.