The awards are presented by the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection, Rodoljub Sabic, along with the OSCE Mission to Serbia, UNDP, Coalition of non-governmental organisations for free access and journalists’ organisations NUNS and UNS.

The National Assembly received an award in the category of highest state authorities for its contribution to the public right to know.

National Assembly Speaker, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic extended thanks for the recognition:

“Honoured Mr. Sabic,

Your Excellency,

Honoured Ministers,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

I have to admit that we secretly hoped for the award. The nature of the institution you awarded is such that, to be honest, had we not received the award it would seem that we have failed our mission rather than that we are better than others.

Our mission is not to merely keep communication channels open but also to create the framework to make openness a way of public life. In 2008 the National Assembly adopted the Law on Free Access to Information of Public Importance and Law on Personal Data Protection, and with the recent amendments to the Rules of Procedure we have made it possible to review the findings of the Commissioner in a more comprehensive manner without endangering the independence of the institution, with the purpose of improving the general situation in the field in our country and society.

The National Assembly is the home of all citizens and thank you for helping us improve with your requests, suggestions, overall communication even when it is not pleasant. We owe the fact that we are recognised as an institution known for its promotion of the public right to know to the nature of our work, as well as the efforts of the people at the NARS Service who treat each request with due care. This award bears the name of the institution as well as the people who work there.

Because of what the recognition means to us, I accept the award on the behalf of the National Assembly, year after year, with the same enthusiasm.

I would like to thank the honoured jury for awarding our work and all the other winners.

Thank you for your attention.”