The meeting, attended by MPs Gordana Comic, Jorgovanka Tabakovic, Donka Banovic, Laszlo Varga, Ivan Andric and Srdjan Mikovic, centered on the existing cooperation between the National Assembly and the European Parliament and the continued process of European integration and social reform. The Chairman of the European Parliament’s Delegation for South-East Europe, Mr. Eduard Kukan assured the MPs that the European Parliament was ready to assist Serbia on its progress to European Union membership, especially in view of the most important message conveyed at today’s meetings in Belgrade – Serbia’s future in the European Union.

The members of the delegation of the European Parliament’s Special subcommittee on organised crime, corruption and money laundering, established in April of this year, was particularly interestedin Serbia’s next steps in the struggle against corruption and organised crime, the issue of political party financing, judiciary independence, continuation of the ongoing social reform, stability in the Western Balkans, as well as the political and legal framework for the seizure and confiscation of proceeds from crime. The Chair of the Special subcommittee Ms. Alfano expressed the European Parliament body’s readiness to support Serbia’s efforts, as European Union candidate country.

MP Jorgovanka Tabakovic briefed her colleagues from the European Parliament on the plans regarding the continued fight against corruption and organised crime in the upcoming period, transparency of the law-making process accompanied by public debates, adoption of the law on public procurement aimed at preventing corruptive practices, control of the property of all public office holders, departisation of public companies and strengthening the capacities of all the authorities directly involved in the anti-corruption struggle.

MP Srdjan Mikovic highlighted the importance of what the MPs can do as reflected in the application of the provisions of the Law on the National Assembly and the National Assembly Rules of Procedure in the part relating to the procedures instituted to control of the work of the Government and its ministries which contain instruments for the fight against corruption and organised crime. He reminded that the National Assembly was actively working on improving the legislative process and expressed hope that the practice of receiving quarterly reports from the ministries would continue, aimed at analysing the existing and adoption of new legislation, which would improve the legislative process and in which the MPs expect their European counterparts’ support.

MP Laszlo Varga was pleased that the National Assembly and European Parliament had held five interparliamentary meetings in the past four years and expressed hope that the topics of corruption and organised crime, considering their importance, would be at the top of the agenda for the next meeting, in September.