National Assembly Speaker Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic greeted the tenth group of interns to enter the National Assembly Practice Programme. The practice was launched in 2003 and, so far, more than 150 students from various faculties (Faculties of Law, Economy, Philology and Political Sciences) have interned and completed the practice programme at NARS. The Internship Programme changes, improves and develops every year thanks to the interns’ ideas and suggestions. Out of the 116 applicants from the faculties of law, economy, philology, political sciences, etc., 24 were accepted this year.

In her address, the NARS Speaker told the interns that the experience and knowledge they gain during the practice programme would prepare them for future professional challenges, and suggested that in the next eighth months, the length of the practice programme, they focus special attention on the NARS tasks within the European integration process.

“I truly hope that, with the help of your mentors and by working at the parliamentary groups, committees, support service departments, the 24 of you will gain practical skills and experience which you will use in the best way possible in your future work, spreading the idea of the Assembly as the pillar of democratic development in Serbia. The door to my Cabinet, as well as the doors to all the deputies and civil servants at the NARS House are wide open for all your ideas and initiatives”, said the Speaker.

The Director of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), the National Assembly’s partner on the project, Tom Kelly also addressed the interns stressing that the student practice programme has improved considerably in the past years thanks to the excellent cooperation between the NARS and NDI and the students’ suggestions.

In accordance with their interest, the interns were assigned to Departments, Committees, Parliamentary Groups where, with the help of their mentors, they would gain various practical skills and experiences which would be helpful for their future work. In the previous years the interns who exhibited a high level of independence and initiated or realised projects were given the opportunity to stay and continue their creative work at the National Assembly Service. Following the trainee period and having passed the state exam, former interns have become civil servants.