Opening the meeting, the Chairman of the Environmental Protection Committee Branislav Blazic highlighted the importance of networking for civil society organisations and the support they offer to the Committee and its activities within the existing “Green Chair” institutional mechanism. Blazic stressed that cooperation and continued communication between the Environmental Protection Committee and civil society organisations boosts both their and the National Assembly’s transparency. Listing the activities planned for the immediate future, Blazic underlined the importance of improving the Committee’s control function.
National Assembly Deputy Speaker and Environmental Protection Committee deputy member Gordana Comic informed the representatives of the civil society organisations in more detail about the National Assembly procedures relating to the adoption of laws, organisation of public hearings and control of the executive.
The meeting also touched on best practice examples and networking between civil society organisations related to a common topic, as well as the future coordination and improvement of the work within the “Green Chair” mechanism.
The “Green Chair” institutional mechanism was launched in June 2013 at the initiative of seven civil society organisations: Belgrade Fund for Political Excellence, Belgrade Open School, Centre of Modern Skills, European Movement in Serbia, GM Optimist, Environmental Protection Engineers and Young Researchers of Serbia.
The mechanisms means the participation of representatives of civil society organisations dealing with environmental issues in sessions, public hearings and other activities organised by the Environmental Protection Committee.