The meeting focused on the National Assembly’s cooperation with civil society organisations.

European Integration Committee member Dr Dijana Vukomanovic highlighted the importance of the non-governmental sector in Serbia’s talks with the European Union. She emphasised the National Assembly’s readiness to expand the cooperation with NGOs which, she added, was already underway via many a programme. She also added that the civil sector is a significant source of knowledge and expert capacities for the National Assembly.

Ljiljana Lucic, member of the Committee on Labour, Social Issues, Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction, opined that the non-governmental sector plays a significant role in social reform. She also pointed out the sector’s important role in the National Assembly’s work, mainly as support in the organisation of public hearings. Lucic added that the Parliament should be the place the public and civil sector meet.

Western BalkansStudy Group President Dimitris Dimitriadis spoke of the establishment of the EU-Serbia Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee which would deal with social and economic interests. He also informed the members of the two committees about the chapters of the EU talks where cooperation with the non-governmental sector played the most important role. Dimitriadis said he was sure the cooperation between Serbia and the European Parliament would continue in future.

The meeting was also attended by the following members of the European Integration Committee and the Committee on Labour, Social Issues, Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction: Vera Paunovic, Donka Banovic, Mirjana Dragas and Ivan Bauer.