Bosnia and Herzegovina - Media Review – November 18

NEZAVISNE NOVINE

- Bosnia's presidency adopted on Tuesday a draft for a 2010 balanced budget that is 21.5 million marka higher than the 1.028 billion marka fiscal blueprint submitted for approval by the Council of Ministers. The draft handed in by the Council was 7.3 million marka lower than last year’s budget. The presidency will now send the budget bill to parliament.

- Bosnia could be fined by the European Union if it misses a deadline for the introduction of digital tachographs, devices used to monitor the working hours of drivers, the Transport Ministry said. The deadline for the adoption of the corresponding legislation is December 21 as the application of the devices should start as of June 16, 2010.

- Bosnia’s arms and ammunitions industry has increased the value of its exports but the drop in its profit has deteriorated as expenses have doubled and more than half of the capacity remains idle due to the state’s reluctance to advertise the sector, industry officials said. Only two of Bosnia’s eight arms and ammunitions producers are profitable.

(1 euro=1.95583 Bosnian marka)