The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received today a delegation of the Assembly of the Western European Union’s Presidential Committee headed by the President of the Assembly, Jean-Pierre Masseret.

The European parliamentarians informed the Speaker of the National Assembly that in June of this year, the Assembly of the Western European Union adopted a Report titled “2008: a decisive year for the Western Balkans”, as well as recommendations concerning it, adding that the delegation of the WEU Presidential Committee is staying in Belgrade to acquaint itself with the political situation in Serbia.

Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic stressed that the formation of state institutions and the continuation of political and economic reform enabling speedy economic development and raising the citizens’ living standards are the National Assembly’s priorities which will contribute to Serbia’s quicker accession to the European Union.

The Speaker of the National Assembly particularly emphasised that Serbia’s highest priority is the preservation of its integrity and that Serbia will never accept Kosovo-Metohija’s independence. Djukic-Dejanovic stressed that Serbia strives for a continuation of the talks on the future status of Kosovo-Metohija and finding a final solution at the UN Security Council under international law and in line with SC Resolution 1244.

Answering the European parliamentarians’ question how it is possible to reconcile the aspirations to European integrations and speedy economic development and the preservation of Kosovo-Metohija, and what is Serbia’s economic interest in preserving Kosovo-Metohija, the Speaker of the National Assembly stressed that Serbia will struggle to preserve its integrity, because it is inseparably connected to Kosovo-Metohija by tradition, history and culture.