Opening the public hearing, the Chairperson of the Environmental Protection Committee Milica Vojic Markovic stressed that its purpose is to gain insight into the document National Priorities for International Financial Assistance for the period 2014-2017, with projections for 2020, drafted by the European Integration Office, which is to be adopted at a Government session.
Presenting the document, European Integration Office Deputy Director - EU Funds Coordinator Ognjen Miric said that this was a strategic document for the planning of international development assistance, adjusting the international assistance to national priorities. Miric presented the sectors, topics and multidisciplinary issues covered by the document, with a special focus on the environmental protection sector.
Secretary of the Environmental Protection Committee of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities Ljubinka Kaludjerovic, Special Advisor to the Minister of Energy, Development and Environmental Protection Jovana Jaric, Assistant Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management – International Cooperation Sector Milanka Davidovic and Director of the National Agency for Regional Development Milos Ignjatovic shared their views on the document National Priorities for International Financial Assistance for the period 2014-2017, with projections for 2020, particularly the part relating to environmental protection and their potential contribution to the implementation of the document. Representatives of civil society – the European Movement in Serbia Prof. Dr Dragoljub Todic and the Centre for Society Development Goran Mitic also spoke about the document.
In the course of the discussion, the participants of the public hearing – MPs, ministry and local self-government and civil society representatives, exchanged opinions on the strategic document, underlining the importance of international cooperation and coordination of all relevant factors in the sphere of environmental protection.
The public hearing was organised with the support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) via project Strengthening the Oversight Role and Transparency of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, conducted in cooperation with the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia.