National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
Thursday, 9 October 2014
15th Sitting of the Foreign Affairs Committee
On 9 October, the Foreign Affairs Committee held a joint sitting with the European Integration Committee, dedicated to the European Commission 2014 Progress Report on Serbia.
The Report was presented by the Head of the European Union Delegation to the Republic of Serbia Michael Davenport.
Presenting the Report, Davenport said that the legislative activity in the country has been very intensive since the new Government of the Republic of Serbia was set up in April 2014. The Government had forwarded a great many bills to the National Assembly, among them those regulating the fields of privatisation, labour and the media. The role of the parliament is to pass high-quality legislation and control the implementation of these laws, stressed Davenport highlighting to that end the importance of having public debates precede the adoption of laws.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia said that Serbia is about to tackle a key task in the EU membership talks – preparations to open chapters 23 and 24 which deal with the judiciary and fundamental rights, justice, freedom and security. Agriculture, environmental protection, energy production and harmonisation of Serbia’s foreign policy with the EU foreign and security policy are also important areas, stressed Michael Davenport. He underlined the need for coordination and unbroken communication between the Government, National Assembly, independent regulatory bodies and civil society organisations in the EU negotiations process and harmonisation with European standards.
Davenport also opined that the fact that Belgrade Pride did happen on 28 September is very important as far as respecting human and minority rights is concerned, but that there is still room for progress in the sphere.
In the course of the discussion, the members of the two committees focused on the parts of the Report dealing with the assessment of the progress achieved and recommendations given as regards the rule of law, combating corruption, strengthening the institutions and public administration reform. Discussing the Report, the committee members also pointed out the importance of the freedom of speech and freedom of the media. They also spoke of the important role the National Assembly plays in the negotiations process, as well as the importance of communication between all the relevant factors in the EU membership talks – the Government, National Assembly, independent regulatory bodies and civil society organisations.
In the continuation of the sitting, the Committee members conducted an interview with the newly-appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Azerbaijan, Nebojsa Rodic, and the newly-appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to India, Vladimir Maric, before their deployment to diplomatic duty.
The newly-appointed ambassadors presented the activity plans they intend to follow during their diplomatic mission.
The Committee members adopted several initiatives for visits to be realised in the upcoming period, noted the regular activities of the National Assembly’s standing delegations and adopted reports on visits and contacts realised in the previous period. The Committee also adopted the conclusions of the Fifth Meeting of South-East European Foreign Policy Committees, held in Zagreb, on 25 and 26 September 2014.
The first part of the sitting was jointly chaired by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Aleksandra Djurovic and European Integration Committee Chairman Aleksandar Senic, while the continuation of the Foreign Affairs Committee sitting was chaired by Committee Chairperson Aleksandra Djurovic.
Presenting the Report, Davenport said that the legislative activity in the country has been very intensive since the new Government of the Republic of Serbia was set up in April 2014. The Government had forwarded a great many bills to the National Assembly, among them those regulating the fields of privatisation, labour and the media. The role of the parliament is to pass high-quality legislation and control the implementation of these laws, stressed Davenport highlighting to that end the importance of having public debates precede the adoption of laws.
The Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia said that Serbia is about to tackle a key task in the EU membership talks – preparations to open chapters 23 and 24 which deal with the judiciary and fundamental rights, justice, freedom and security. Agriculture, environmental protection, energy production and harmonisation of Serbia’s foreign policy with the EU foreign and security policy are also important areas, stressed Michael Davenport. He underlined the need for coordination and unbroken communication between the Government, National Assembly, independent regulatory bodies and civil society organisations in the EU negotiations process and harmonisation with European standards.
Davenport also opined that the fact that Belgrade Pride did happen on 28 September is very important as far as respecting human and minority rights is concerned, but that there is still room for progress in the sphere.
In the course of the discussion, the members of the two committees focused on the parts of the Report dealing with the assessment of the progress achieved and recommendations given as regards the rule of law, combating corruption, strengthening the institutions and public administration reform. Discussing the Report, the committee members also pointed out the importance of the freedom of speech and freedom of the media. They also spoke of the important role the National Assembly plays in the negotiations process, as well as the importance of communication between all the relevant factors in the EU membership talks – the Government, National Assembly, independent regulatory bodies and civil society organisations.
In the continuation of the sitting, the Committee members conducted an interview with the newly-appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Azerbaijan, Nebojsa Rodic, and the newly-appointed Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to India, Vladimir Maric, before their deployment to diplomatic duty.
The newly-appointed ambassadors presented the activity plans they intend to follow during their diplomatic mission.
The Committee members adopted several initiatives for visits to be realised in the upcoming period, noted the regular activities of the National Assembly’s standing delegations and adopted reports on visits and contacts realised in the previous period. The Committee also adopted the conclusions of the Fifth Meeting of South-East European Foreign Policy Committees, held in Zagreb, on 25 and 26 September 2014.
The first part of the sitting was jointly chaired by Foreign Affairs Committee Chairperson Aleksandra Djurovic and European Integration Committee Chairman Aleksandar Senic, while the continuation of the Foreign Affairs Committee sitting was chaired by Committee Chairperson Aleksandra Djurovic.