At the Inaugural Session of the Parliamentary Assembly, National Assembly Speaker Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic expressed her pleasure at the fact that the anniversary session is taking place in Belgrade as it is a singular recognition for Serbia as a founder of the OSCE and state which consistently implements the basic postulates of the OSCE in the spheres of political-security, economy and human rights in practice. Djukic-Dejanovic stressed that Serbia faces important tasks such as preserving the achievements of parliamentary democracy, encouraging regional cooperation and reforming and modernising society. The Speaker concluded that all these tasks are based on the principles promoted by the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly.

The guests were addressed by Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic who expressed belief that the Parliamentary Assembly’s Belgrade session would contribute towards achieving the common goal of increased security in OSCE member states. Prime Minister Cvetkovic stressed that Serbia adheres to the OSCE principles, values and standards and believes this organisation its strategic partner in addressing new threats and challenges such as international terrorism, organised crime, trafficking in human beings, energy security, climatic change. OSCE has been of great help in the processes of reconciliation and regional cooperation, said Cvetkovic.

Greeting the guests, OSCE PA President Petros Efthymiou declared that this year’s session is held in a historic moment for Serbia which, having closed the past chapter, now faces the future. Efthymiou said that the main topic of the four-day session would be strengthening the organisation so as to make if more efficient and confident in addressing modern political and security crises. If it did not already exist, OSCE should have been created because it is an organisation which provides a concept of security in the Euro-Atlantic and Euro-Asian region, concluded Efthymiou adding that the participants of the session are proud to be at Sava Centre which was built to host the first OSCE activities.

OSCE Chair-in-Office and Head of Lithuania’s diplomacy Audronius Azubalis emphasised the need for regional cooperation and political courage in addressing frozen conflicts.

The topic of this year’s OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Session is STRENGTHENING THE OSCE’S EFFECTIVENESS AND EFFICIENCY – A NEW START AFTER THE ASTANA SUMMIT. In the course of the session, in the plenary and committee sessions, the parliamentarians will debate and vote on more than 25 resolutions aimed at improving the organisation and work of the OSCE in future.