National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
7 November 2013 The National Assembly Speaker and the Council of Europe Secretary General
Thursday, 7 November 2013
National Assembly Speaker Receives Council of Europe Secretary General
National Assembly Speaker Dr Nebojsa Stefanovic received Council of Europe Secretary General Thorbjørn Jagland at the National Assembly House.
The meeting was attended by the members of the National Assembly’s standing delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.
The National Assembly Speaker expressed his pleasure at the visit and reaffirmed Serbia’s commitment to the values of the Council of Europe, especially combating corruption and organised crime. He underlined the fact that the Council of Europe supports Serbia’s efforts to gain full European Union membership, adding that he expected the chapter talks with the EU to begin in late December or January of next year.
Deeming the rule of law a crucial issue, Stefanovic reminded that a lot has been done on the matter in the previous period. He spoke of the role of the Parliament, stressing that it has recently, in addition to its legislative role, focused on strengthening its oversight role via the work of the Assembly committees. The National Assembly Speaker drew attention to the Brussels Agreement as one of the key issues, opining that the local elections in Kosovo-Metohija conducted on 3 November are a good move despite the fact that there have been complaints to the election process itself. He also opined that the safety of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija remains a cause for concern.
Saying he was grateful for the principled respect of Serbia’s position, as Council of Europe member, i.e. its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Stefanovic also thanked the National Assembly’s standing delegation to the PACE for its assistance, declaring its current work at the Council of Europe possibly the most active since Serbia joined the organisation.
The National Assembly Speaker also briefed the guest on the economic situation in the country, with a special focus on the inherited large public debt. He listed the reduction of the budget deficit as one of the economic policy priorities, drawing attention, in that context, to the break with the previous long-standing practice of subsidizing state-owned companies.
The Council of Europe Secretary General also stressed the Serbian delegation’s active participation in the organisation, declaring it one of the most active. He deemed the adoption of the Istanbul Declaration by the National Assembly a significant contribution of Serbia’s to principles of the Council of Europe, adding that Serbia’s participation in the organisation contributes toward its goal of becoming a European Union member.
As a significant element of promoting Serbia’s European policy, Thorbjørn Jagland listed judiciary reform and process of reconciliation in the region, mentioning, in this context, the meeting with the parliamentary delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier that day. Reminding of the Council of Europe’s neutral status as regards the Kosovo issue, he said that all the activities of the Council of Europe and monitoring process comply with the official position of Belgrade. He stressed that the monitoring process is important for the compliance with Council of Europe human rights standards adding that there is room to act without touching on the issue of the final status, or doing anything that would jeopardize the process in Brussels.
Responding to the question about regional cooperation and reconciliation, Speaker Stefanovic said that the provincial authorities in Vojvodina function in six official languages, a number superseded only by the European Union. He opined that the recent visit of Croatian President Josipovic and his dialogue with the representatives of Serbian refugees from Croatia, as well as today’s meeting with the parliamentary delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, demonstrate that Serbia has opened a new chapter in the relations with its neighbours. Stefanovic mentioned one of the joint conclusions of the meeting with the parliamentary delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – that one should learn from the past, yet look toward the future.
MPs Vesna Marjanovic, Svetislava Bulajic, Stefana Miladinovic and Vladimir Ilic, members of the National Assembly’s standing delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, took part in the meeting.
The National Assembly Speaker expressed his pleasure at the visit and reaffirmed Serbia’s commitment to the values of the Council of Europe, especially combating corruption and organised crime. He underlined the fact that the Council of Europe supports Serbia’s efforts to gain full European Union membership, adding that he expected the chapter talks with the EU to begin in late December or January of next year.
Deeming the rule of law a crucial issue, Stefanovic reminded that a lot has been done on the matter in the previous period. He spoke of the role of the Parliament, stressing that it has recently, in addition to its legislative role, focused on strengthening its oversight role via the work of the Assembly committees. The National Assembly Speaker drew attention to the Brussels Agreement as one of the key issues, opining that the local elections in Kosovo-Metohija conducted on 3 November are a good move despite the fact that there have been complaints to the election process itself. He also opined that the safety of Serbs in Kosovo-Metohija remains a cause for concern.
Saying he was grateful for the principled respect of Serbia’s position, as Council of Europe member, i.e. its territorial integrity and sovereignty, Stefanovic also thanked the National Assembly’s standing delegation to the PACE for its assistance, declaring its current work at the Council of Europe possibly the most active since Serbia joined the organisation.
The National Assembly Speaker also briefed the guest on the economic situation in the country, with a special focus on the inherited large public debt. He listed the reduction of the budget deficit as one of the economic policy priorities, drawing attention, in that context, to the break with the previous long-standing practice of subsidizing state-owned companies.
The Council of Europe Secretary General also stressed the Serbian delegation’s active participation in the organisation, declaring it one of the most active. He deemed the adoption of the Istanbul Declaration by the National Assembly a significant contribution of Serbia’s to principles of the Council of Europe, adding that Serbia’s participation in the organisation contributes toward its goal of becoming a European Union member.
As a significant element of promoting Serbia’s European policy, Thorbjørn Jagland listed judiciary reform and process of reconciliation in the region, mentioning, in this context, the meeting with the parliamentary delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina earlier that day. Reminding of the Council of Europe’s neutral status as regards the Kosovo issue, he said that all the activities of the Council of Europe and monitoring process comply with the official position of Belgrade. He stressed that the monitoring process is important for the compliance with Council of Europe human rights standards adding that there is room to act without touching on the issue of the final status, or doing anything that would jeopardize the process in Brussels.
Responding to the question about regional cooperation and reconciliation, Speaker Stefanovic said that the provincial authorities in Vojvodina function in six official languages, a number superseded only by the European Union. He opined that the recent visit of Croatian President Josipovic and his dialogue with the representatives of Serbian refugees from Croatia, as well as today’s meeting with the parliamentary delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, demonstrate that Serbia has opened a new chapter in the relations with its neighbours. Stefanovic mentioned one of the joint conclusions of the meeting with the parliamentary delegation of Bosnia and Herzegovina – that one should learn from the past, yet look toward the future.
MPs Vesna Marjanovic, Svetislava Bulajic, Stefana Miladinovic and Vladimir Ilic, members of the National Assembly’s standing delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, took part in the meeting.
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