Dr Vladimir Orlic, Deputy Head of the Serbian Progressive Party Parliamentary Group, greeted the PACE co-rapporteurs, eager to discuss Serbia’s progress in the European integration process and related issues. Orlic briefed them on Serbia’s progress in the past couple of years. He said that the European integration process is confirmed through the opening of chapters and that Serbia is ready open three new ones to by the end of the year. He also said that EU accession is Serbia’s chief foreign policy goal and that the process, first and foremost, fulfils the country’s internal need to improve its citizens’ quality of living by building up the system and its institutions.

Dubravka Filipovski, Deputy Head of the New Serbia Parliamentary Group, informed the co-rapporteurs that one third of MPs are women, a fact with which Serbia sends a good message as regards the inclusion of women in political life. She also said that it is essential for Serbia to keep its path to the European Union transparent and that any help from the member states on the path is welcome. “Stability of the Western Balkans is also very important for the process, because without stability in the region there can be no prosperity”, said she.

Milena Bicanin, Deputy Head of the Social Democratic Party of Serbia Parliamentary Group, has a positive outlook on the challenges faced by the state, saying that the citizens are well aware of the political situation and put their trust in the Assembly and Government, and that the supreme state bodies are hard at work on developing human liberties. She said that networking and good regional ties are among Serbia’s most significant steps on the European path.

Vera Paunovic and Milena Corilic of the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia Parliamentary Group spoke about the adjustment of national legislation to European standards, highlighting Serbia’s humane treatment of the migrants, and its important role as a transit country, daily traversed by hundreds of migrants. They also stressed that, concerning this issue, Serbia needs additional help from Europe.

The PACE co-rapporteurs were also interested in the status of the national minorities, LGBT people and the social inclusion of Roma. Dr Vladimir Orlic said that Serbia can be proud of its high standards as regards the rights of all the abovementioned groups, which is confirmed by the opening of chapters 23 and 24. Orlic said that the National Assembly cooperates with a great many NGOs through the established framework of cooperation with the National Convention.

The representatives of the parliamentary groups explained that the non-governmental sector has its role in the legislative process which is very transparent for all the interested citizens, as is the work of the National Assembly in its entirety.