Opening the gathering, the Speaker of the Serbian Parliament Maja Gojkovic said that the National Assembly supports the Government which is coordinating and conducting the negotiations process and will be taking part in adjusting the negotiating positions for each of the chapters of the talks. The relevant committees and the European Integration Committee will be discussing the negotiating positions thus contributing to the progress toward the European Union, said the Speaker.
The National Assembly will play a key role in the legislative harmonisation process considering that most of the EU regulations need to be adequately introduced into the national legal system.
“By adopting the strategic document – Resolution on the Role of the National Assembly and Principles in the Negotiations on the Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union, the National Assembly defined its role in the drafting of the negotiating positions, monitoring of their application and keeping the public duly informed on the results. This document clearly defines the need for participation and regular consultation with all the stakeholders and representatives of civil society. This strengthens the institutional framework conducive to our common goal - successful conduction and conclusion of the membership talks”, stressed Speaker Gojkovic.
The Parliament Speaker noted that the dialogue within the National Convent would strengthen the institutional framework for the successful conduction and conclusion of the membership talks.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport believes today’s event would launch this important initiative in the context of intensive negotiations on Serbia’s accession to the European Union. He stressed that the European Union strongly endorses the initiative to strengthen the role of civil society in the negotiations process.
Minister without portfolio responsible for European integration Jadranka Joksimovic believes that the public often does not understand the core meaning of the EU talks. That is why the activities of the National Convent play an important role in providing the public with better insight into the negotiations process itself and its spirit.
The assembly was also addressed by the Chairman of the National Assembly’s European Integration Committee Aleksandar Senic and the Head of Serbia’s EU Negotiations Team Tanja Miscevic.
In the course of the session, the participants – among them representatives of the parliamentary groups Zoran Babic, Branko Ruzic, Natasa Vuckovic and Marko Djurisic, the Director of the Belgrade Centre for Political Excellence Sonja Licht, Director of the FEFA Centre for European Integration and Public Administration Mihajlo Crnobrnja and the Director of the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy Sonja Stojanovic Gajic debated the future role of civil organisations in Serbia’s Euro-integration process. The Chairman of the National Assembly’s European Integration Committee Aleksandar Senic and the Head of Serbia’s EU Negotiations Team Tanja Miscevic also took questions.
The National Convent was founded in 2006 at the initiative of the European Movement in Serbia with the idea to encourage regular consultation between state bodies and the other interested segments of society on the integration process, to define recommendations on Serbia’s negotiating positions, encourage open social dialogue in all the stages of the negotiations and keep the public better informed on the Euro-integration process.
The Presidency of the National Convent consists of the Parliament Speaker, Minister responsible for European integration, Head of the Negotiating Team, Chairman of the National Assembly’s European Integration Committee, Director of the European Integration Office, President of the Standing Conference of Towns and Municipalities and three representatives of the civil sector.