The Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, today met the Speaker of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly (PA), Göran Lennmarker.

Mr Markovic informed Mr Lennmarker and the OSCE PA delegation with results achieved by the National Assembly so far, underlining that assessments of Assembly activities expressed in OSCE and EU annual reports were both favourable and true. He reiterated that Serbia had made a number of historic decisions in this period, endeavouring to resolve problems through partnership – since solutions for numerous problems encountered by Serbia in this period were not fully under its control, and their solution was made more difficult by a great deal of prejudice. Markovic stressed that the issue of the dissolution of the union with Montenegro had been handled democratically, and that the adoption of the new Constitution had laid the groundwork for the further democratisation of society. The two speakers agreed that Serbia’s standing delegation to OSCE PA was very active, and hailed its initiative for the Parliamentary Assembly to adopt a resolution aimed at strengthening regional co-operation. Markovic expressed his firm support for holding the 2007 annual OSCE PA sitting in Belgrade; the two officials also agreed that it was necessary to further strengthen the National Assembly’s oversight function of the executive branch, as well as to improve oversight of security structures and the armed forces – provided for in the latest amendments of the National Assembly’s Rules of Procedure.

Mr Lennmarker reiterated that Serbia’s place was in the European community of nations, as well as that the pace of Serbia’s progress towards the European Union depended on it alone. He agreed with Mr Markovic that Serbia’s road to the EU would mean the further strengthening of full stability and solidarity – both in Serbia and the entire region – as well as the harmonisation of standards and improvement in the self-esteem of Serbia’s people and institutions.