General Information

1.     LEGAL BASIS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF THE REAL ESTATE REGISTRATION PROJECT

Based on Article V.3.d) of the Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and consent of the Parliamentary Assembly of Bosnia and Herzegovina (Decision No. 01, 02-05-2-630/13 dated July 23, 2013) on their 38^th regular session held on 7 August 2013 the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina passed a Decision on Ratification of the Financing Agreement (Real Estate Registration Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Development Association that was signed in Sarajevo on 25 January 2013, in English (Official Gazette of BiH – International Agreements No. 17 of 12 September 2013).

The Project Agreement between Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Development Association was signed in Sarajevo on 17 July 2013, while the Subsidiary Agreement (Real Estate Registration Project) between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina was signed on 21 August 2013.

The Financing Agreement between Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Development Association, as well as the Project Agreement between Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the International Development Association were declared effective by the International Development Association on 23 September 2013. Project completion date is 31 July 2018.

Real Estate Registration Project is a follow-up to the Land Registration Project that had been successfully implemented in the period April 2007-June 2012.

2.        INSTITUTIONAL AND IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS OF THE PROJECT

The Project in FBiH is administered by the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs, along with the Federal Ministry of Justice with regards to the parts of the Project that pertain to the Land (Book) Registration in FBiH.

The Project Implementation Unit was established under the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs and it comprises civil servants and contracted experts with working experience necessary for successful implementation of the Project activities. The Project Implementation Unit is responsible for immediate implementation of the Project and it reports to the Head of the Project Implementation Unit; however, the main responsibility for the Project implementation lies with the Federal Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs. The Project Implementation Unit is focused on fiduciary functions (procurement, finances, and withdrawals of funds); it consolidates and reports on monitoring indicators, provides overview of the environment management plans during construction works and provides translation/interpretation services.

Inter-entity coordination in Project implementation is provided through the Project Coordination Board (PCB). Role of the PCB is to coordinate Project activities and share Project-related information to ensure harmonized approach of the two entities. The PCB includes six appointed representatives, three from each entity, including one representative of entity Geodetic Administration, entity Ministry of Justice and entity Ministry of Finance.

Quarterly reports containing monitoring table and indicators, as well as the report describing general progress of the Project and all important issues are in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina prepared in the Unit and after having been approved by the Director of the Federation Administration for Geodetic and Real Property Affairs they are submitted to the Government of FBiH, Federation Ministry of Finances, Federation Ministry of Justice and to the World Bank supervision tam. The said quarterly reports are presented to the Government of FBiH and are used as a basis for regular discussion on progress of the Project and Project-related issues.

3.        DESCRIPTION OF THE REAL ESTATE REGISTRATION PROJECT

Development Objective of the Real Estate Registration Project and its Beneficiaries

Project Development Objective is provision of support to development of a sustainable real estate registration system with harmonized land book and cadastre records in urban areas of both the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska. The real estate registries (land books and cadastre) provide basis for land administration and for establishing national spatial data infrastructure. The two registries are considered harmonized when their contents are mutually linked and verified. The sustainability is measured by the degree in which the institution generates income that correspond to their expenditures, charges affordable fees, provides good quality services, without discrimination and in reasonable time. The critical initial force that will put the system of real estate registration in motion will be the registration of rights on the real estate and mortgages, as well as the accessibility of reliable information necessary for investment, real estate taxation and spatial planning, and for enabling social monitoring of real estate transactions.

The Project beneficiaries are (i) general public that may own, lease, mortgage or use real estate under the protection of legal registration of right; (ii) business community who can invest more relying on the secure access to real estate and improved access to credit; (iii) the government institutions and municipalities who can make use access to accurate spatial information to increase their revenues and to inform their decision making; and (iv) real estate administration institutions that will gain from more sustainable operations and staff policies.

The society overall will benefit from improved land governance supported by up-to-date and accessible spatial information on real estate and on their transactions, which will increase accountability and informed decision making, and policy making concerning land, real estate and natural resources.