The address of the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic at the parliamentary seminar on HIV/AIDS – The role of the parliament in the creation of an effective response to HIV:

Esteemed Mr. Minister,

Esteemed Mr. Jankovic,

Esteemed Mrs. Reichenberg,

Esteemed Mrs. Blagojevic,

Honoured fellow deputies from the parliaments of Slovenia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Great Britain and Serbia,

Representatives of international organisations, civil sector and the media,

Dear friends,

Allow me to welcome you on the behalf of the deputies of the National Assembly and express my great pleasure that today’s seminar on the role of our respective parliaments in an efficient response to HIV/AIDS is jointly organised by the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia and Inter-Parliamentary Union.

The National Assembly has been a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union since its establishment in 1889 and by its activities always shown dedication to the high standards and goals set by this, oldest international parliamentary organisation. Our meeting is proof that the tradition of good relations in the spirit of cultivating parliamentary dialogue continues.

HIV first appeared on the territory of SFRY in 1984, and at the moment Serbia has 2554 registered HIV-positive people. Serbia is a country with a low HIV prevalence, but is also a country with the lowest HIV testing rate in Europe so it is very possible that the problem is vastly bigger. Therefore it is one of our society’s key tasks to encourage the citizens to get tested for HIV as that it the way to gain real insight into the true proportions of the disease.

Legislative activity reflected one of the first institutional responses to HIV/AIDS. The country started to intensify its activities in the sphere in 2000 and in the period after 2004 the appropriate legal framework was completed by the adoption of the Law on Health Care, Law on Health Insurance, Law on the Protection of the Population against Infectious Diseases, Anti-Discrimination Law etc.

However, the parliament and parliamentarian’s duties do not end with adopting laws. Our task as representatives of the citizens in constant communication with them, is to encourage educational action, raise the level of information and knowledge about transmission and prevention, stimulate understanding of all the implications of the disease, particularly those relating to the social, psychological and personal context of those endangered, and at the same time help to create an ambient in which our HIV positive citizens and those suffering from AIDS would not be stigmatized and ostracized from the community.

The efforts of the deputies of the National Assembly in this area are already in evidence. Namely, at the initiative of the Youth of JAZAS, part of project “Improvement of the legal position of HIV positive people” financed by the European Commission, an informal parliamentary group for HIV and reproductive health in the region was formed at the Serbian Assembly in June 2009. As result of the efforts of the deputies, members of said group, legal amendments were adopted sanctioning the discrimination of children based on their health condition or that of their parents. The argument for the adoption of said amendment was an actual case in the Republic of Serbia when a child was removed from school because the parents were HIV positive, to which the deputies did not turn a blind eye.

Let us add that the National Assembly is currently handling the initiative to introduce health education into elementary and high-schools. We expect that it would, along with some other measures, help the youth gain the knowledge and skills necessary to influence a reduction in the number of newly-infected as a result of ignorance about how HIV is passed on.

Fellow deputies,

Esteemed participants,

I appeal that we do not forget that respecting and appreciating those most endangered, as they are socially least visible and have the most difficulty in exercising their rights, is the measure of respecting human rights in every society including ours.

That its why it is everybody’s task – the legislative and executive government, international organisations, civil sector and the media – to make the effort, in a legally acceptable manner, to help to correctly inform the public about HIV and AIDS, as well as improve the rights of the endangered citizens and realise progressive ideas.

The regional seminar is undoubtedly an invaluable occasion to exchange experiences and thoughts which will enrich us all with knowledge and a deeper understanding of the global problem.

I wish you success.