TWINNING PROJECT

IMPLEMENTING CONSORTIUM

The Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PABiH) is the state-level bicameral legislative body in BiH, consisting of two chambers: the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples. 

General

The House of Representatives comprises 42 members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation. The House of Peoples has 15 delegates, designated by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina’s House of Peoples and the Republika Srpska's National Assembly. Two thirds of delegates are selected from FBiH (5 Bosniaks and 5 Croats), and one third is selected from RS (5 Serbs). Term of office is 4 years. Legislative decisions enter into force upon adoption by both houses of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH. Both houses have a Speaker and two Deputy Speakers coming from the three different constituent peoples, and rotate on the position of Speaker every 8 months. 

Competences

The PABiH enacts laws, approves the budget and makes decisions on the sources and the amount of revenue needed for financing the institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its international obligations. The PABiH confirms the appointment of the Chair and Members of the BiH Council of Ministers, grants consent to ratification of international treaties and decides on other issues that are necessary to exercise its own responsibilities or those assigned to it by an agreement between entities. The chambers of the PABiH also perform legislative, informative and oversight activities and regulate their internal structure and mode of operation. The legislative responsibilities of the PABiH cover the competences of the state-level institutions of Bosnia and Herzegovina, defined by the Constitution and additional competences transferred to the state-level. All functions and powers not expressly assigned to the institutions of BiH shall be those of the entities. The state level of government may assume responsibilities in other matters as agreed by the entities.

Committees 

The House of Representatives has 7 standing committees covering the responsibilities of the chamber:

Constitutional-Legal Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, Committee on Foreign Trade and Customs, Finance and Budget Committee, Committee on Transport and Communication, Committee on Gender Equality, Committee for Preparation of Election of the Council of Ministers of BiH.  

The House of Peoples has 3 standing committees: Constitutional-Legal Committee, Committee on Foreign and Trade Policy, Customs, Transportation and Communications, and Finance and Budget Committee.

There are 6 joint standing committees established: Joint Committee on Defence and Security, Joint Committee on Supervision of the work of Intelligence and Security Agency of BiH, Joint Committee on Economic Reforms and Development, Joint Committee on European Integration, Joint Committee on Administrative Affairs, Joint Committee on Human Rights, Rights of Children, Youth, Immigration, Refugees, Asylum and Ethics.

Secretariat

The Secretariat provides professional, administrative-technical, finance-related, information-related, consultancy and other services to the PABiH. Activities and tasks of the Secretariat are performed within the following services: a) Expert Service of the House of Representatives; b) Expert Service of the House of Peoples; c) Joint Affairs Service. Work of the Secretariat of the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH is managed by the Collegium of the Secretariat consisting of the Secretary of the House of Representatives, Secretary of the House of Peoples and the Secretary of the Joint Affairs Service. There is approximately 150 staff working across the three services of the Secretariat.

For further information, please consult:

The Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (PFBiH) is the bicameral legislature body of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina composed of the House of Representatives and the House of Peoples.

General

The House of Representatives is composed of 98 members elected by direct popular vote in secret ballot, while the House of Peoples is composed of 58 delegates, chosen by the respective cantonal legislature. Out of 98 representatives in the House of Representatives, 73 are elected directly from constituencies, while 25 seats are allocated through a system of compensatory mandates. Both houses have a Speaker and two Deputy Speakers coming from different constituent peoples. 

Competences

FBiH Parliament is tasked with electing the Federation President and two Vice-Presidents; approving by a majority vote of the FBiH Government; amending the Constitution of FBiH;  enacting laws  and other acts to exercise responsibilities allocated to FBiH ; adopting budget of FBiH, authorising Cantons to conclude agreements with states and international organisations, if approved by the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina; approving agreements with states and international organisations, with the previous consent of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina; adopting the budget of the Federation and enacting legislation to levy taxes and otherwise secure the necessary financing.

Committees

The House of Representatives has 26 working standing committees: Constitutional Committee, Legal-Legislative Committee, Administrative Affairs Committee, European Integration Committee, Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Committee, Security Committee, Committee for Selections and Appointments, Information Committee, Committee on Languages, Committee on Mandates and Immunity, Gender Equality Committee, Local Self-Authority Committee, Committee on Youth, Ethics Committee, Committee on Finance and Economics, Committee on Energy, Mining and Industry, Committee on Transport and Communications, Committee on Denationalisation and Privatisation, Committee on Justice and General Administration, Committee on Refugees and Displaced Persons, Committee on Science, Education, Culture and Sports, Committee on War Veterans’ Affairs, Committee on Labour and Welfare, Healthcare Committee, Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Committee on Spatial Planning, Housing, Ecology and Tourism.

The House of Peoples has 19 standing committees: Constitutional Committee, Legal-Legislative Committee, Administrative Affairs Committee, Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms Committee, Security Committee, Committee for Selections and Appointments, Information Committee, Committee on Languages, Gender Equality Committee, Committee on Mandates and Immunity, Committee on Economic and Development Policy, Finance and Budget, Committee on Commerce, Committee on Spatial Planning, Ecology and Housing, Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Committee on Denationalisation and Privatisation, Committee on Local Self-Authority and General Administration, Committee on Refugees and Displaced Persons, Committee on Education, Science, Culture, Sports, and Youth, Committee on War Veterans’ Affairs, Healthcare, Labour and Welfare. 

The Houses have established two joint committees: Joint Committee for Harmonisation of texts of laws adopted differently in the houses, Parliamentary Audit Committee. 

Secretariat

Each House has its own service, which is managed by a Secretary. Altogether the Parliament has approximately 100 staff across three services: House of Peoples’ Expert Service, House of Representatives’ Expert Service, and Joint Services. Most of the staff is assigned to committees.

For further information, please consult:

General

The National Assembly of Republika Srpska (NARS) is the legislative body of the Republika Srpska (RS), functioning as unicameral body with 83 directly elected MPs with a term of office of four years. 

Competences

The NARS decides on amending the Constitution of Republika Srpska, passes laws, other regulations and general legal acts, budgets and annual financial reports, determines the territorial organisation of the RS, announces a republic referendum, announces a public loan and decides on the state debt, calls for elections of National Assembly deputies and the President of the RS, elects, appoints and dismisses officials, in accordance with the Constitution and the law, supervises the functioning of the Government and its bodies, grants amnesty, elects delegates from RS to the House of Peoples of PABiH. 

Committees 

In the NARS there are 20 standing Committees, two commissions and a Minority Council. The working bodies are: Commission  for Selections and Appointments, Administrative Commission, Finance and Budget Committee, Legal-Legislative Committee, Committee on Political System, Legislature and Administration, Security Committee , Committee for Protection of Rights of Refugees, Displaced Persons and Returnees, Committee for Petitions,  Proposals and Social Oversight, Equal Opportunities Committee, Committee for Environmental Protection, Committee for Constitutional Affairs, Committee for Monitoring the Situation in the Field of Pension and Disability Protection, Committee on War Veterans’ – Disability Protection, Committee on Education, Science,  Culture and Information, Committee on Youth, Children and Sports, Committee  on Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, Committee on Healthcare, Labour and Social Policy, Committee on European Integration and Regional Cooperation, Audit Committee, Trade and Tourism Committee, Committee on Economy,  Local Self-Governance Committee,  National Minorities Council. 

Secretariat

The Parliamentary Service is headed by the Secretary General. It currently has 80 employees, nearly half of them engaged in administrative matters. 

For further information, please consult:

General

Brčko District Assembly (BDA) is the parliamentary assembly of the self-governing administrative unit of Brčko District: it has 31 representatives – two belong to national minorities –, elected at direct elections, with a term of office of four years.

There is one Speaker and one Deputy Speaker. The Mayor of Brčko District, and the Speaker and Deputy Speaker of BDA cannot belong to the same constituent people. 

Brčko District Assembly is elected at the local election. The next local elections will take place in 2016.

Competences

Brčko District (BD), due to it specific status, has wide legislative responsibilities, comparable to Entities. The Assembly adopts the BD Statute and the Rules of Procedure of the Assembly, adopts the BD Budget, adopts the BD Laws, adopts other decisions and resolutions, decides on public loans and indebtedness of the District subject to compliance with the rules and policies of the Central Bank of BiH, elects and dismisses the Mayor of the District in accordance with the BD Statute, monitors the District Government and the entire administration of BD, particularly the revenues and expenditures of the administration, evaluates performance of the Mayor, reviews annual audits performed by the State Audit Office.

Committees

In the BDA 17 standing committees are established: Budgetary Committee, Human Rights Committee, Legislative Committee, Committee on Economic Development and Agriculture, Mandates and Immunity Committee, Committee on Administration and Finance, Committee on Public Safety and Police Surveillance, Committee on Labour, Health and Social Protection, Committee on Education, Sport, Culture, and Cooperation with Religious Communities, Committee for Governmental Oversight and Citizens’ Complaints, Committee on Environmental Protection and Communal Services, Committee for Implementation of the Rules of Procedures, Committee for Implementation of the Code of Conduct of representatives, Committee on European Integration, Committee on Gender Equality, Committee on Youth and Committee on Anti-Corruption.

Secretariat

The Parliamentary Service is headed by the Secretary General. It comprises of 36 staff, most of them deal with administrative matters. 

For further information, please consult:

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