The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic participated in the Eleventh Regional Networking Conference on the Missing Persons Issue, held 20 to 30 November 2008 in Belgrade.

The National Assembly Speaker addressed the participants of the Conference in the opening session titled “Review of the Search for Missing Persons Process – Responsibility of Governments”.

Assembly Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic applauded the mode of operations where all those who can help the families find out what had happened to the unfortunate members of their families are gathered at one table and pointed out that one of the most dire consequences of the conflict on the territory of ex-Yugoslavia, with all the torment and victims, is the unresolved fate of missing persons and the pain and suffering of their families.

Djukic-Dejanovic cited the fact that 17 000 persons are listed as missing, as well as that all the competent institutions are obligated to do all in their power to resolve the fate of the missing.

The Assembly Speaker expressed her belief that all the competent authorities in the Republic of Serbia will give their full contribution to the process of search for missing persons and create the necessary legal, procedural and material conditions.

At the end of her address, the National Assembly Speaker stressed that the Parliament is an open institution which the families of missing persons may freely approach with their initiatives and requests.