Maja Gojkovic, Chairperson of the Working Group for the Political Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities, reminded the attending of the conference held in December 2015 to announce the beginning of project “Strengthening political participation of persons with disabilities in Serbia”, cooperation between the National Assembly and organisations of persons with disabilities aimed at improving their inclusion.

Gojkovic said that the Project works on two levels – the inclusion of certain local self-governments and the work of the Working Group for the Political Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities.

The Assembly Speaker emphasised the importance of including all the parliamentary groups in the Working Group’s activities because, she added, about 800,000 people in Serbia have a disability of some kind and it is very important to examine the options for the legislative improvement of their position. Gojkovic also announced that amendments to the Law on Prevention of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities would be passed very soon, before the end of the current legislature.

Speaking about project “Strengthening political participation of persons with disabilities in Serbia”, the President of the Centre for Independent Living of Persons with Disabilities Gordana Rajkov said that the its objective is to politically empower persons with disabilities in Serbia and strengthen their influence over the legislative framework and election process, for the purpose of improving their access to human rights and social inclusion.

She said that the affirmation of the principle of independent living is of paramount importance, of not seeing disability as a social burden, but using the potentials of persons with disabilities and making it possible for them to earn a living.

Speaking about legislation important for persons with disabilities, Damjan Tatic of the National Organisation of Persons with Disabilities mentioned the Bill on Sports debated at the session currently in progress, which, he said, should ensure adequate accessibility to persons with disabilities and drew attention to the importance of passing a housing law. Tatic also agreed that amendments to the Law on Prevention of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities should be passed as soon as possible.

Jeffrey Skarin, USAID's Acting Director of the democracy and economic growth programme, said that the speed with which the first meeting of the Working Group was convened best reflects how seriously the National Assembly takes this issue. He stressed that USAID was pleased to support the project and the inclusion of persons with disabilities in political processes.

The meeting was attended by Working Group members Dr Vesna Rakonjac, Zoran Bojanic, Milanka Jevtovic Vukojicic, Mirjana Dragas, Aida Corovic, Grozdana Banac, Branka Karavidic, Dubravka Filipovski, Annamaria Vicsek, Ljiljana Kosoric and MPs Milena Bicanin and Branka Bosnjak.