Esteemed guests, one of our main foreign policy priorities at present is approaching the European Union. Serbia, like the rest of the CEI member states, believes that policy of cooperation and approaching the EU is an important step toward creating a new Europe as a continent of peace, political stability, respect for human rights and economic prosperity.

In the context of achieving the abovementioned priority, the role of parliament is indispensable. The National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has invested maximum efforts into harmonising our legislation, thus greatly contributing to bringing Serbia closer to the European Union. I am proud to inform you that the current convocation of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia has adopted 177 legal acts harmonising our legal system with the EU legal system. I would like to emphasize that the European Commission evaluated our work and proposed that Serbia be granted the status of membership candidate. This is an important step forward which we accept as a valorization of our work and an additional incentive to continue reform.

I would like to take the opportunity to point out the importance and energy we as a state invest into developing good-neighbourly relations and regional cooperation which we demonstrated by adopting the Srebrenica Declaration as well as our activities relating to environmental protection issues, scientific cooperation, cultural development etc. This is the best way to see how our goals and this organisation’s goals coincide. We believe that CEI is an indispensable platform for our joint efforts.

The new relations in the world dictate the need to come up with a new vision of CEI development. It would be useful to strengthen the influence of the Central European Initiative, intensify cooperation with the old and establish cooperation with new partners, regional and global international organisations and adapt to the new geo-political reality and challenges inherent in the new age. Certain that by working toward achieving the founding goals of the CEI Parliamentary Dimension we at the same time work toward a better future for all the member states and our common foreign policy interests, allow me to again wish you successful deliberations and a pleasant stay in Serbia."