ANNUAL REPORT ON THE RESULTS OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE INSTITUTION OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA The factual situation in Bosnia and Herzegovina vis-à-vis national minorities points to their rather limited number: according to the results of the 2013 census (it should be noted that the Republika Srpska did not accept the results of the 2013 census) 525 persons who do not belong to the three constituent peoples (the constituent peoples in Bosnia and Herzegovina are Bosniaks, Serbs and Croats), and so-called "Others" make up less than three percent of the total population of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Data available in the census for individual cities, municipalities and populated areas also show that there are almost no places where persons belonging to national minorities listed in Article 3 of the Law on Protection of Rights of persons belonging to national minorities of Bosnia and Herzegovina 526 are even close to making up "the majority" or a third of the locals. 527 Seven complaints were received in the reporting period. Example: Ombudsmen acted on complaint 528 Religious Communities ''Jehovah's Witnesses'' Sarajevo. The allegations of the complaint indicated both the issues rose in the application of the customs policy regulations and the harmonization of the practices and actions of the Indirect Taxation Authority of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the case law of the Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After considering the allegations of the complaint and conducting the investigation in the case, the Institution issued a Recommendation 529. On January 11, 2019, the Institution received a response from the Cabinet of Directors of the Board under number: 01-02-2-103/19 dated January 4, 2019, in which they stated a number of reasons why they claim that there is no violation of rights in this case. They point out that one of the obligations of Bosnia and Herzegovina undertaken by the Stabilization and Association Agreement is the harmonization of the customs regulations of Bosnia and Herzegovina with the acquis communautaire in the field of customs, i.e. with the relevant customs regulations of the European Union. In the meantime, the Institution contacted other churches and religious communities, pointing to almost identical appellate allegations by the Christian Adventist Church. After considering the situation in the file, the Ombudsmen decided to, in accordance with Article 61 of the Rules of Procedure of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which reads as follows: ''The Council of Ministers is informed by information on certain issues or problems. The information should be concise, transparent, include information that enables the assessment of a particular issue or problem and, as a rule, contain proposals for conclusions'', provides information on this issue. The information related to issues related to the implementation of regulations related to the implementation of the Law on Customs Policy of Bosnia and Herzegovina 530 in relation to the Law on Freedom of Religion and the Legal Status of Churches and Religious Communities in 525 (available at http://www.popis.gov.ba/popis2013/knjige.php?id=2), Official Gazette of Bosnia and Herzegovina, No. 12/2003 and 76/2005 527 According to these data, the total population in Bosnia and Herzegovina is about 3.531 million people. Among the national minorities referred to in Article 3 of the Law, the largest number is Roma, 12,583 persons, 0.4%), followed by Albanians (2,659), Ukrainians (2,331), Montenegrins (1,833) and Turks (1,108) (all about 0,1%) while all other groups number less than 1,000 people. 528 Ž-SA-03-437/18 529 Recommendation No. 238/18 of 23 October 2018 530 Official Gazette of BiH, no. 57/2004, 51/2006, 93/2008, 54/2010 and 76/2011. 526 131