Opening the exhibition in the Central Hall, National Assembly Speaker Maja Gojkovic reminded the numerous guests that on 20 October 1936, by opening the regular autumn session and electing the first Speaker in the new edifice, Stevan Ciric, we got our home of democracy and parliamentarism.

Gojkovic said that the fact the National Assembly House was built near the spot where the Sultan’s Hatt-i Sharif was read in 1830 confirming Serbia’s autonomy, makes this edifice the symbol of the Serbian people’s longing for freedom and independence.

King Peter I Karadjordjevic laid the cornerstone of the House as a symbol of Serbia’s progress, said Gojkovic adding that the state and people’s suffering and hardships in the Balkan wars and WWI and general destitution postponed the completion of the Assembly House, which had always shared its citizens’ fate.

The Assembly Speaker said that the Parliament is the place reflecting the directly expressed will of the citizens, a symbol of freedom and justice in all democratic countries of the world, adding that long fight for independence and freedom spurs the MPs today to pass good laws and work on building a regulated state which will be the house of all our citizens.

“Today, the National Assembly illustrates our citizens’ need to build a modern and successful Serbia, respected in Europe and the world”, said Gojkovic, quoting the words of the first Assembly Speaker in the House, Stevan Ciric:

“I want to ask you as I lead you into this house to bring spiritual greatness into it as the most beautiful tradition of the National Assembly. I want each of you to stop at the threshold and ask himself how much of this treasure he brings inside and if he feels weak or tired, not to cross the threshold of this holy place. We should set high standards, maybe for many of us an unattainable goal, but an ideal we certainly must have before our eyes to serve the good of the people with unbreakable will.”

The exhibition of photos and aquarelles depicts the long process of construction and the artistic values of the National Assembly House, through Nikolay Krasnov’s aquarelles, photos of the construction of the building, as well as the furniture built according to Krasnov’s drawings.

Because of its important function, connection with historical events, architectural and artistic value, the National Assembly House was declared monument of culture in 1984.