Project Description
The Project covered the next two years of the Water Sector Institutional Strengthening Programme in Bosnia and Herzegovina started in 2000. The general objective of the entire programme was to support the institutional reforms in the water sector of B&H. The activities undertaken were built upon the results of the 1st phase.
The activities included in the project were e.g. the following:
- Finalising a new organisational set-up of the water sector allocating primarily tasks and responsibilities among the key water-related authorities and or institutions for three main managerial levels: State, Entity (including Cantons and municipalities) and River Basin Authorities (RBA) based on the principles of cost-efficiency and subsidiarity;
- Supporting the operation of the existing OWM and the establishment of new OWM aiming to transform them into RBAs as soon as the new legislation would become operational;
- Finalising both primary and secondary water-sector-related legislation that will finally secure:
- the establishment of cross-entity RBAs;
- an appropriate link of water management in Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republic of Sprska, as well as Cantons in Federation in order to secure a harmonised water resources management on the national level;
- Developing an appropriate and cost effective financing model for all water-sector-management level through appropriate mechanisms such as budget revision setting adequate water user fees and/or redistribution of revenues realised through collection of general and special water fees;
- Analysing the scope and set-up and finalise the establishment of the autonomous, impartial licensing units /bodies with a clear description of the licensing procedures and to develop a conceptual framework for the enforcement of water-related legislation with the particular emphasis on water management inspectorate on all three key managerial levels (State, Entity,and RBAs);
- Finalising public participation programme;
- Continuing with the human capacity building involving on the job trainings, dedicated training sessions and field visits abroad to similar river basin authorities in the European Union and Accession Countries;
- Developing unified, water-related information system at state level with prime emphasis on developing GIS and database management system.
Services provided by SYKE
SYKE provided expert services in the analysis and characterization of water bodies on the basis of the requirements of the EU Water Framework Directive.
More information
Ms. Kati Pritsi, Project Coordinator, International Affairs Unit, Finnish Environment Institute