Greeting the guests, the Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group, Dr Dijana Vukomanovic, emphasised the importance of cooperation between Serbia and the UK in jointly facing the challenges in Europe, such as the economic and social crisis, the gap between the voters and institutions and serious threats to peace and stability. This is the first meeting of the two friendship groups and an opportunity to discuss further cooperation and establish direct contact between the parliamentarians, said Dijana Vukomanovic, recollecting the 176-year-long friendship between the two countries and historical ties forged in the Fist and Second world wars. Speaking of the current political situation, she stressed that the door to Europe was opening before Serbia, adding that resolving the Kosovo crisis and approaching Euro-integration were the two challenges Serbia faced at the moment.
The Head of the Parliamentary Friendship Group briefed the UK guests on the National Assembly’s work, emphasising the significance the UK Parliament’s experience can have for the improvement of the National Assembly’s operation. She spoke of the support the Westminster Foundation for Democracy offers the National Assembly to strengthen its democratic capacities. Dr Dijana Vukomanovic thanked the UK Parliament’s Friendship Group in advance for its contribution to the improvement of Serbia’s global image.
Karen Lumley, the Chair of the UK Parliamentary Friendship Group with Serbia, said she expected the future cooperation with the National Assembly’s Parliamentary Friendship Group to contribute to the improvement of interparliamentary cooperation between Serbia and the UK. She opined that the UK Parliament’s experience can help strengthen the MPs’ capacities, especially as regards control over the legislative process and the Government’s work. Karen Lumley stressed that the confirmation of Serbia’s candidacy is a big step and the UK fully supports Serbia’s accession to the European Union.
Addressing the MPs, the members of the UK Parliamentary Friendship Group, representatives of the Labour and Conservative parties, also stressed that they wished to see Serbia become a European Union member, hoping they would be able to help resolve the most important issues Serbia was tackling. They believe that from the moment a solution is found for Kosovo, Europe’s attention will focus on Serbia’s European Union accession.
The members of the National Assembly’s Parliamentary Friendship Group attending the meeting also spoke to their UK counterparts. They agreed in the estimate that this type of cooperation offers the two parliaments the opportunity for an even better and more direct cooperation in the future. The two parliamentary friendship groups agreed to cooperate more closely and be in constant communication, while the UK Parliamentary Friendship Group also invited the members of the National Assembly’s Parliamentary Friendship Group to come and visit the UK Parliament in order to exchange experiences.