Schwarz-Schilling Urges Parliamentarians to Use Extraordinary Sessions to Pass Priority Laws

The High Representative/EU Special Representative, Christian Schwarz-Schilling, is urging parliamentarians to use the extraordinary sessions of both Houses of Parliament this week to improve their legislative record and pass laws to benefit all of Bosnia and Herzegovina and all its citizens.

The House of Representatives is meeting tomorrow and the House of Peoples on Wednesday with a view to passing the Law on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, as well as Laws on Amendments to the Law on Council of Ministers and Changes to the Rules of Procedures of the House of Representatives linked to the vetting of candidates for ministerial posts.

The Law on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices is closest to adoption since it is in its second reading in both Houses.

This Law regulates the import, manufacture and sale of medicines in Bosnia and Herzegovina and introduces higher standards of safety and accessibility. It also ends the monopoly currently enjoyed by some companies, which allows them to keep prices high.

“By adopting the Law on Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices, Parliamentarians would be creating the conditions for ensuring better choice, better quality and greater safety in the medicines available in Bosnia and Herzegovina ,” Mr Schwarz-Schilling said. “This is a last opportunity for them to make a true and positive difference to voters’ lives.

The Law would also bring benefits to the State itself by establishing a single pharmaceuticals market, supervision over it, establishing a State regulator, and preventing unfair competition.

The Joint Collegium of the Parliamentary Assembly informed the High Representative/EU Special Representative that it had scheduled additional sessions of both Houses of Parliament on 6 September.

Earlier, on 31 August, the High Representative/EU Special Representative had criticised the legislative record of the Parliamentary Assembly.