20 May 2015 The members of the three Assembly committees in meeting with Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Leilani Farha

20 May 2015 The members of the three Assembly committees in meeting with Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Leilani Farha

Wednesday, 20 May 2015

Members of Three Assembly Committees Meet with Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Leilani Farha

The members of the Committee on Labour, Social Issues, Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction, Committee on Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality and the Committee on Spatial Planning, Transport, Infrastructure and Telecommunications, met today, at the National Assembly, with Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Leilani Farha.


The Chairperson of the Committee on Labour, Social Issues, Social Inclusion and Poverty Reduction Vesna Rakonjac briefed the guest on the legislation in the Republic of Serbia that ensures the right to adequate housing, especially for the poor and other marginalised population categories, and on other activities employed to improve the situation in the sphere of social housing. As the most important, the Committee Chairperson emphasised the adoption of legislation in the sphere of social housing and welfare, the National Strategy on Social Housing and the Governmental ordinance establishing the order of precedence among the lessees, social housing beneficiaries.

Vesna Rakonjac said that the Republic of Serbia has planned the closing of refugee centres by the Commissariat for Refugees considering that funds have been secured to house all the users of the refugee centres. Speaking of activities at the local level, Vesna Rakonjac said that 42 Serbian municipalities have about a thousand housing units for the socially underprivileged, 19% of which are used by members of the Roma national minority. The Government’s fiscal consolidation measures do not include social welfare benefits and aim to protect the most socially underprivileged population categories, said Vesna Rakonjac.

Addressing the committee members, Special Rapporteur on Adequate Housing Leilani Farha expressed concern over the fact that most social housing programmes in Serbia are funded by the European Union which is not a sustainable solution, and over the rising numbers of the homeless. Having examined the situation in Serbia, Leilani Farha opined that though there are some very good social programmes, there is still room for improvement.

As a possible improvement in the area, NP Zlata Djeric mentioned the adoption of amendments and modifications to the Law on Social Housing which would offer investors the opportunity to donate free apartments to the socially underprivileged in exchange for a reduction in some building fees, while MP Branka Bosnjak opined that the adoption of new by-laws should ensure that the spatial plans clearly define zones intended for social housing. MP Aida Corovic opined that an improvement as regards human rights in Serbia, which is going through a transition period, calls for additional activities especially at the local level.

The sitting was also attended by MPs Dr Blagoje Bradic, Ljiljana Beronja and Milanka Jevtovic Vukojicic, as well as representatives of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.



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friday, 29 march
  • 9.00 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with the Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, Speaker’s Cabinet)

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