The Committee on Relations with Serbs Living Outside Serbia held its fourth sitting on 25 September, chaired by the Committee Chairman, Branimir Djokic. The sitting was attended by the Minister for Diaspora, Milica Cubrilo and State Secretary of the Ministry, Jovan Filipovic.

The members of the Committee discussed the Report on the activities of the Ministry for Diaspora for the period of May-August 2007 and the plan of activities for the upcoming period. Minister Milica Cubrilo acquainted the members of the Committee with the structure and systematisation of the Ministry stressing that there are three departments within the Ministry dealing with the status and economic issues of the diaspora and fostering cultural, educational and sporting cooperation between the diaspora and the motherland. She emphasised that, so far, a bilateral agreement has been signed with Italy on the issue of drivers’ licenses, the legal position of Serbs in the region has been analysed and several specific projects have been set up. The Minister stated that the main priority of the Ministry in the upcoming period is working on the draft of the Law on diaspora, cooperation with the Ministry of Defense on the issue of regulating the obligatory military service, working on the registration of the diaspora, building Internet portals, establishing a partnership between the motherland and the diaspora in their economic cooperation, opening regional economic centres, establishing a labour market, improving Serbian language teaching in the diaspora etc. She also stated that the Ministry adopted Regulations for the allocation of donations at projects competitions that can be offered to the diaspora in the amount of 25 million dinars.

The Committee members then made the decision to participate in the activities of the working groups of the Ministry. The Committee also admitted the delegation of the Serbian National Council of Montenegro at their request.