National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Fourth Sitting of the Committee on the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region
At the sitting held on 14 November, the members of the Committee on the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region considered the Republic of Serbia 2013 Budget Bill, the part pertaining to the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region.
In addition to the members of the Committee, the sitting was also attended by the Director of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, Slavka Draskovic and the Office Deputy Director Aleksandar Vlajkovic.
Committee Chairman Aleksandar Cotric expressed his belief that the Office would establish excellent cooperation with Serbs in the region and the diaspora. Commenting on the 2013 budget proposal for the diaspora, the Committee Chairman said that it allocates 334,453.000 RSD worth of funds.
The Director of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, Slavka Draskovic deemed that the funds allocated for the diaspora in the 2013 budget should be considerably higher, which would have a positive effect on the cooperation between the mother country and the diaspora. It was also said that a third of the funds was intended for keeping the Serbian diaspora informed.
Following a debate, the Committee members adopted a proposal to alter the economic classification–standing expenses in the 2013 Budget Bill, the part pertaining to the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region, so that it reads that part of the funds in this appropriation be intended for the broadcasting of Serbian TV programme abroad and improvement of communication with the diaspora via the Internet and new technologies.
They also adopted the proposal to amend the text of the economic classification-donations to NGOs according to which the funds in this appropriation are intended for organisations of the Serbian community in the countries of the region and the diaspora, NGOs, associations and the Serbian emigrant society.
In the ensuing debate the Committee members drew attention to issues that need to be addressed in the upcoming period and which pertain to the position of the Serbian community in the region and the diaspora. The representatives of the Office for Cooperation with the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region stressed that the priorities of the Office in the upcoming period would be establishing business relations with the diaspora and developing small-value projects which are the foundation of economic development of every country.
The sitting was chaired by Aleksandar Cotric, Committee Chairman.