The Political Affairs Committee of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly held a meeting on 6 and 7 September at the National Assembly House on the topic Reconciliation and political dialogue in former Yugoslavia.

Opening the session, National Assembly Speaker Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic stressed that the European prospects encourage the Western Balkan countries and the whole region to remain on the path of peace and stability. She also stressed that the National Assembly and the Government continue to assert Serbia’s commitment to building a democratic society based on the rule of law and observance of human and minority rights, as well as building state institutions compliant with the EU accession criteria.

Speaker Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic emphasised the National Assembly’s expedience in adopting new laws for the purpose of harmonisation with EU legal regulations, as well as Council of Europe standards. The National Assembly is also attempting to facilitate and speed up Serbia’s EU accession through parliamentary diplomacy, said Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic.

Head of the National Assembly Standing Delegation to the Council of Europe PA Prof. Dr Dragoljub Micunovic stressed that the accession of former SFRY republics into the European Union has pushed the hatred, intolerance and everything else impeding their cooperation onto the sidelines. The former Yugoslav republics should work on building a new, European identity which implies tolerance, equality and cooperation, in which the Council of Europe as the common home of these states plays an important role, said Micunovic highlighting the Council of Europe’s key role in the reconciliation process.

During the session, the PACE Political Affairs Committee members talked to the Minister for Kosovo-Metohija Goran Bogdanovic and State Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Mirko Stefanovic. Minister Bogdanovic restated that Serbia is cooperating with the Hague Tribunal and that the remaining defendants will be extradited to the Tribunal. Bozidar Djelic, Deputy Prime Minister for European Integration also took part in the meeting.

Pietro Marcenaro, Council of Europe PA Rapporteur, presented a Report on reconciliation and political dialogue between the countries of the former Yugoslavia which introduced a debate on peace-building in the countries of former Yugoslavia. He stressed that the Council of Europe aims to create a joint commission for the truth about the events on the territory of former SFRY. He also said that Serbia has done a great deal on the road to the EU, but that further cooperation with the EU is essential, as is meeting the conditions for EU accession.

In the debate it was pointed out that establishing the guilt of the perpetrators of war crimes and European Union integration would lead to reconciliation between the former Yugoslav nations.

The Political Affairs Committee members declared that PACE is satisfied with Serbia’s democratisation, stressing the importance for further European integration of Serbia and the EU coming to an agreement regarding the Kosovo-Metohija resolution which will be debated at the UN General Assembly, thus sounding the beginning of resolving the matter.

The meeting also dealt with other issues on the agenda for the PACE Political Affairs Committee session. The participants discussed the renewal of parliamentary dialogue with the US, measures for improving the voting process in Council of Europe member states, strengthening democracy by lowering the voting age, as well as the situation in the Middle East and Belarus.