At the very beginning of the meeting, Zaric Kovacevic informed the Ambassador about the competencies of the Committee she heads, primarily the procedures for the evaluation of each bill or other act in parliamentary procedure from the aspect of compliance with the Constitution and legal system of the Republic of Serbia.

Speaking of Constitutional amendment, Jelena Zaric Kovacevic stated that the procedure is regulated by the Constitution itself and the National Assembly Rules of Procedure. The proposal to amend the Constitution is submitted to the National Assembly in writing, and the competent Committee determines whether the proposal was submitted by the proposer authorised by the Constitution and in the prescribed form.

If the National Assembly adopts the Proposal to amend the Constitution, the competent Committee viz. the Committee on Constitutional and Legislative Issues shall determine the draft act to amend the Constitution and a constitutional law proposal and submit them to the National Assembly Speaker, who shall in turn immediately submit them to the MPs. The act to amend the Constitution is adopted with the support of two-thirds of the MPs, and in cases determined by the Constitution, the National Assembly is, after that, obliged to put the act to a referendum for confirmation.

Jelena Zaric Kovacevic stated that membership in the European Union remains a priority goal for Serbia and most of the activities in the National Assembly are directed towards that goal and harmonisation of national legislation with the acquis communautaire.

In the course of the meeting, Ambassador Thomas Schieb asked about the reforms of the rule of law and the judicial system, as well as the progress made in the process of Constitutional amendment. He stressed that Germany strongly supports Serbia’s path to the European Union and that reforms in the area of the rule of law are key for Serbia's European integration.

Jelena Zaric Kovacevic informed the Ambassador that the change of the Constitution requires the consensus of all the MPs, from all the parliamentary groups, the involvement of the relevant institutions, experts and other interested members of the public. She pointed out that the Committee she heads will give its maximum, within its competencies, when the Proposal to amend the Constitution of the Republic of Serbia is considered at a National Assembly session.