A delegation of the Grand Committee of the Parliament of Finland, headed by the Committee Chairman Erkki Tuomioja, talked today at the National Assembly House, in separate meetings, with the members of the European Integrations Committee and Foreign Affairs Committee, as well as the members of the National Assembly’s Serbia-Finland Friendship Group.

The meeting between the Finnish parliamentarians and the Chairman of the European Integrations Committee Laszlo Varga and Committee members Gordana Comic and Momir Markovic focused on the current situation in Serbia’s European integration process and the Parliament’s role in the process. Laszlo Varga was grateful for the support Finland lends to Serbia on its road to Euro-integration. He stressed that two of the three goals have been realised – visa liberalisation and Stabilisation and Association Agreement coming into force, and expressed hope that status of EU membership candidate would soon follow. He also stressed that, at the moment, 65% of Serbia’s population supports European integration and the Parliament is actively employed in harmonising domestic and European legislation.

Gordana Comic pointed out the importance of European integration as a means of Europeanisation and modernisation of society. She briefed the Finnish guests on the current course and results of Serbia’s progress towards European integration, reminding them that the Parliament had made the formal decision on joining the EU in 2004, by adopting the Resolution on Accession to the European Union. Comic stressed that the National Assembly has so far fulfilled all of its obligations from the National Programme for Integration of Serbia into EU and that the European Commission gave high marks to the Parliament’s work in the previous year.

A delegation of the Foreign Affairs Committee, headed by Gordana Comic, National Assembly Deputy Speaker, also met with the Finnish parliamentarians. Assembly Deputy Speaker Comic briefed the guests on the competencies of the Foreign Affairs Committee, which include parliamentary diplomacy, regional cooperation and cooperation with international organisations and institutions, as well as a monitoring role. The Chairman of the Finnish Parliament’s Grand Committee Erkki Tuomioja talked about the competencies of the body he chairs, pointing out that it deals with all issues relating to the European Union, including the issue of its expansion.

The Finnish parliamentarians stressed that their country supports Serbia on its road to European Union accession and pointed out that Slovenia used their model during its preparation to join the EU.

The officials believe that the increased efficiency of the National Assembly and better cooperation with the Government are of key importance for the next phase of Serbia EU accession process.

The National Assembly delegation comprised Vesna Pesic, Vlajko Senic, Nikola Lazic, Momir Markovic and Gojko Radic.

The delegation of the Finnish Parliament’s Grand Committee also talked to Nenad Prokic and Jelena Travar-Miljevic, members of the Serbia-Finland Friendship Group at the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia. The members of the Friendship Group informed their colleagues from the Finnish Parliament that the five-member Friendship Group is currently being constituted at the National Assembly, expressing belief that their efforts would contribute to the overall cooperation between Serbia and Finland.

The Chairman of the Finnish Parliament’s Grand Committee Erkki Tuomioja stressed that the relations between the two countries are developing successfully, stressing his pleasure at the cooperation with the National Assembly’s European Integrations and Foreign Affairs Committees. He added that Finland is ready to support Serbia in the European integration process, particularly by exchanging experiences on the parliamentary level, as well as in such issues as fighting corruption, environmental conservation, improvement of the health care system and education system. The Finnish parliamentarians stressed that their parliament raised the question of forming a Friendship Group with Serbia considering it is necessary above all for the support of Serbia’s European integration process.