The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received today the Head of the World Bank Office for Serbia Simon Gray, with whom she spoke of the ratification by the National Assembly, of the bills relating to the projects financed by the World Bank.

Simon Gray repeated that the National Assembly recently ratified five bills on loans granted to Serbia by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association, but that the Loan Agreement for project “Improvement of services at the local level” (education, health services and social allowances), signed by the Government in April, still waits to be ratified. For it to come into force on 20 December of this year, the agreement should be ratified by the National Assembly by mid November, Gray said.

He stressed that for 2009, the World Bank and the Government of Serbia agreed on the financing of several projects, the most important of which is the construction of Corridor 10, for which financial support of 300 million dollars has been secured. He pointed out that a more efficient ratification of these loan agreements would make access to the means easier, i.e. increase the efficiency of using the received means.

He explained to the National Assembly Speaker the manner in which the countries in the region ratify the bills ensuring project financing from the World Bank.

The National Assembly Speaker pointed out that the efficiency of ratification of these acts must be increased and stated that the new Bill on the National Assembly will regulate this issue, too.

The World Bank Representative offered the deputies the option of insight into various analyses prepared by the institution, and which concern Serbia. He also said that the National Assembly delegation will participate in the meeting of the Parliamentary Network for cooperation with the World Bank, to be held in Paris in November.