The Government of the Republic of Srpska held its 116th session today in Banja Luka chaired by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Srpska Radovan Višković.

The Government adopted the 2021-2027 Strategy for Development of Small and Medium-Size Enterprises of the Republic of Srpska which is foreseen by the 2021 Action Plan for Implementation of the Measures of the Government of Republic of Srpska.

The document is in line with the European Act for Small and Medium-size Enterprises which provides recommendations for regulating all relevant activities in this area. The adoption of this document defines new instruments for support and takes into account the requirements related to the European integration and the adoption of the document is important because of the competences of the Republic of Srpska in this area.

The Government of the Republic of Srpska has passed a Decree on the procedure for granting incentives for direct investments.

This Decree regulates the subjects of direct investment projects, documents for proving the fulfillment of conditions for exercising the right to incentives, criteria for evaluation of applications and other issues of importance for the procedure of granting incentives for direct investments.

The aim of granting direct investments incentives is to support the implementation of projects of enterprises for the purpose of: application of new technology and improvement of technological production processes, improving competitiveness of producers, employment support, support to enterprises in difficult business conditions caused by coronavirus virus and encouraging balanced regional development.

Incentives are awarded with the aim of supporting enterprises in difficult business conditions caused by the coronavirus.

The budget of the Ministry of Economy and Entrepreneurship for 2021 has foreseen the funds for allocation of incentives in the amount of 4,000,000 KM.

Today, the Government of the Republic of Srpska accepted the Information on the initiative to change the Rulebook on application of the Law on Value Added Tax. The Government of Republic of Srpska is proposing to the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations to launch the initiative with the Steering Board of the Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH to amend the Rulebook on Application of the Law on Value Added Tax with the aim of creating conditions to exempt communal activities (energy, water, gas and waste disposal) from VAT needed for the final production of goods of enterprises which are engaged in production in free zones.

The Government passed the Decision on the use of grant funds for special purposes collected on a separate account "Partner Fund" in the amount of BAM 155,500.00.

These is the grant for special purposes and will be used to maintain a network of agrometeorological stations which information is used by the reporting and forecasting software (KARPO) used by farmers and advisory services to determine the measures to protect crops and orchards, which directly affect agricultural development by increasing yields and reducing the use of plant protection products.

The Government adopted the Information on implementation of activities related to the reform of preschool, primary and secondary education in Republic of Srpska for the period of January – March 2021.

In order to strengthen awareness about the sufferings of the Serbian people and developing a culture of remembrance through adopting methodologies on studying the victims of the Holocaust, the activities were launched that would enable additional research of the sufferings of the Serbian people in all past wars. This was preceded by the development of a manual for teachers for an integrative, thematic approach to the study of subjects of national importance called Preservation of Serbian National Interests and National Values ​​in primary education, which is intended for teachers who teach Serbian language and literature, history, geography, knowledge of nature and society, music and art culture.

Using this Handbook, teachers from the Republic of Srpska, but also from the Republic of Serbia, will introduce elementary school students to the national identity of the Serbian people, regardless of where they live, through the mentioned subjects or interdisciplinary contents. Using this Handbook, teachers from Serbia and Republic of Srpska will work with students to preserve a single Serbian national identity, nurture common traditional, cultural, historical and national values and build awareness of unique interests and goals both in the present and in the future, regardless of spatial constraints.

Also, the Ministry of Education and Culture is working on improving cooperation with the business community and employers at the local community level so that the enrollment policy meets the needs of the labor market and creates conditions for better organization of practical training in companies.

Enrollment plan for the 2021/2022 school year was adopted in accordance with the needs of the local economy, taking into account data on unemployed persons managed by the Employment Service of Republic of Srpska and the opinions of the Chamber of Commerce, Chamber of Crafts, Union of Employers and other social partners as well as the results of student surveys and parents.

Other important activities in the field of reform of preschool, primary and secondary education were presented and the Ministry of Education and Culture is in charge of in cooperation with the Republic Pedagogical Institute, the Institute for Adult Education, the Institute for Textbooks and Teaching Aids and professional bodies formed in within the process of education reform, continue to implement the measures and activities set out in the Action Plan respecting the set deadlines for implementation, stakeholders and expected results.

The Government of the Republic of Srpska passed a Decision on the appointment of members of the Organizing Committee for organizing memorial services and commemoration for the victims of the crime of genocide in the Jasenovac concentration camp and its largest execution site in Donja Gradina. Memorial service for the victims of the genocide committed by the Ustasha regime during the Second World War will be held in Donja Gradina on May 8, 2021.

Also, the Government of the Republic of Srpska passed the Decision on the establishment of the Public Institution - Center for Development and Improvement of Cinematography of the Republic of Srpska.