Issues like key principles of the development of public investment programs linked to the implementation of the BiH Development Strategy and the Social Inclusion Strategy, than needed legal framework for the establishment of a coordination mechanism for the management of funds for development of the Federation BiH, furthermore the identification of development programs and projects for the Federation, ie their implementation, and monitoring and reporting on the implementation were subjects of the workshop held on October 2, 2012.
Jasna Vukasović, Head of a Department of the Federal Ministry of Finance, presented the basic principles of the development of the Public Investment Program in the Federation BiH, and the methodology of linking of public financing and strategic planning. She pointed the tasks of the officers responsible for the coordination, at the levels of the federal ministry (for finances), cantons and municipalities in Federation. Preparation process of the public investment program was presented, starting from PIP projects candidating, prioritization of development programs and projects, the adoption of public investment programs, the content of these programs, their linkage with strategic documents and compliance with sectoral priorities, and the preparation of aggregated data on financing from domestic and foreign sources, sources of funding for each project, review of current project run by investor (federation, canton, municipality). At the end of the workshop, data from the Public Investment Program 2012-2014 were also presented. According to this program, the total funds envisaged during this period (approved and in the implementation) is 2,691.98 million KM, and for the nominated projects 1,135.81 million KM. The total value of the nominated projects was 5,412.33 million KM.
In the second part of the workshop, Zdenka Marija Kovač, International Strategic Planning Expert, presented key principles of linking strategic planning and public investment in the European Union, in relation to implementation of development strategies. A special theme of discussion was the integration of strategic planning and public investment in Bosnia and Herzegovina, and the related recommendations.
Zdenka Marija Kovač explained that strategic planning and public investment binding can only be achieved if public policies at all levels, in the given planning period, are consolidated in terms of investment prioritisation and an adequate financial framework for the realization of strategies. As key steps toward the EU standards in linking of finance and strategic plan are adoption of laws and regulations in strategic planning at all levels of governmnets; upgrading of existing analytical bases for preparing the consolidated balance of public finance sources in support to strategy implementation; linking strategic planning with DOB, DIP and annual budget planning, preparation of relevant documents, then the need to upgrade development reports.
It is concluded that it is necessary to work on the upgrade of analytical bases for the preparation of the public finances to support the realization of the strategy. And it is necessary to prepare a template for collecting estimates of finances for the coming years - 2015-2020, including international sources of funding; set limits at least at the level of priorities (macroeconomic stability, competitiveness, employment, social policy, sustainable development). For the fulfilment of these recommendations, working groups should be established at the state, entity and cantonal level.