The three-day Autumn Meeting, from 3 to 5 October, has gathered about 450 parliamentarians from 57 member states, as well as non-member partners from the Mediterranean region.

The main topic of the OSCE PA Autumn Meeting is the role of the parliaments of member states in the face of the security challenges troubling the world: many threats of extremism, global arms trade, as well as models of protection of minority and migrant rights.

The first day of the Autumn Meeting started with a debate within the Mediterranean Forum dedicated to the models OSCE employs to combat security challenges such as Islamic extremism and other forms of extremism and terrorism. The afternoon session of the Autumn Meeting was dedicated to the OSCE’s political and military dimension with a special debate on the situation in Ukraine.
In the course of the Autumn Meeting the participants will be addressed by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Ilkka Kanerva (Finland), OSCE Chairperson-in-Office Didier Burkhalter (Swiss Foreign Minister as host), President of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer, as well as OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Astrid Thors.

The National Assembly delegation, headed by Dr Dijana Vukomanovic, comprises MPs Irena Aleksic, Meho Omerovic and Gordana Comic.

The head of the Serbian parliamentary delegation Dr Vukomanovic emphasises the role of parliamentary diplomacy and the vast constructive contribution the Serbian MPs, as well as the diplomats and Foreign Ministry representatives and the entire Serbian Government are investing into a speedy strengthening of the country’s capacities to make sure that Serbia performs its role as OSCE presiding country efficiently and to the best of its ability.

“2015, the year of the Serbia-Switzerland coordinated Chairmanship of the OSCE, will be a big challenge for Serbia and its big chance for a comeback to the global international scene after two decades as a reliable, responsible and efficient partner in the international community. The Chairmanship of the OSCE is a chance Serbia gets one in half a century and all of the state’s capacities should be directed toward the promotion of a positive and peace-making image of Serbia. It is about time Serbia overcame all of its internal tensions and conflicts and entered the international scene with a united stance”.