Deputy Speaker Marinkovic presented the National Assembly’s work and plans for the coming period to the delegation of PFG Austria-Serbia. He stressed that the Government and the National Assembly are focusing on economic development, attracting foreign investors and creating a favourable business environment.

He thanked the Austrian colleagues for their support of Serbia’s commitment to regional peace and European integration, hoping that the first negotiation chapters would soon be opened.

He added that Serbia remains steadfast in its stance on the migrant crisis. “We will continue to treat the refuges as a serious country that respects European standards and human rights, and as true Christians”, concluded Marinkovic. Deputy Speaker Marinkovic urged the Austrian colleagues to intensify parliamentary cooperation and boost economic, cultural, scientific and educational cooperation.

Austrian MP Nurten Yilmaz commended Serbia’s loyalty to its neighbours and the EU in the midst of the migrant crisis, saying she was sure that the EU would not forget that when it comes to opening the first negotiation chapters.

The parliamentarians exchanged views on the possible involvement of Austrian companies in the privatisation process, on agricultural cooperation and the way Serbia dealt with the aftermath of last year’s floods.

The delegation of the Austria-Serbia Parliamentary Friendship Group also met with the members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Aleksandra Djurovic said that all the political parties in the National Assembly had reached a consensus on Serbia’s foreign policy priority, and that is EU accession. She thanked Austria for its support of Serbia’s Euro-integration and the opening of the first negotiation chapters.

“The support is indisputable and Austria is at the forefront of that support”, concluded Djurovic.

She added that it would be important for Serbia to open more chapters than just Chapter 35 so that the reform process does not remain in the shadow of the Belgrade-Pristina dialogue.

“Our commitment to the EU is not in question, the question is does the EU want us. We are not afraid that we would not meet the criteria and reforms expected from us, but we fear whether there would be any political conditions to slow us down on our way”, stressed Djurovic.

Djurovic added that good regional cooperation is another priority for Serbia, one to which it is truly dedicated and into which it has invested a lot.

“Stability of the region is in the interest of all of us who live in it and we need to work together, independently from European integration, toward regional stability which in turn affects economic stability”, concluded Djurovic.

Austrian MP Nurten Yilmaz said that the visit had a regional character considering that the delegation comprises the members of the parliamentary friendship groups with Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. She agreed that the EU negotiation process should have no ties with any global crisis, and remain independent. She also opined that regional cooperation is a must, no matter whether the individual countries are EU members or not.

The officials agreed that Serbia’s contributions as regards the migrant crisis are truly significant because they demonstrate that Serbia is a country capable of dealing with the problem.

In addition to Committee Chairperson Aleksandra Djurovic, the meeting was also attended by Committee Deputy Chairman Zarko Obradovic and Committee members Stefana Miladinovic and Branislav Blazic.

The PFG Austria-Serbia delegation comprised Austrian MPs Nurten Yilmaz, Nikolaus Berlakovich, Christoph Vavrik and Hubert Fuchs.