Today, National Assembly Speaker Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic and NARS Deputy Group Heads talked to the European Commissioner for Enlargement Štefan Füle.

Füle, who came to Serbia to hand over the questionnaire to the Serbian Government – based on the answers to the questions in the questionnaire, the European Commission will rule on Serbia’s readiness to gain EU candidacy status and commence talks for EU membership – talked to the NARS representatives so as to gain a clear picture of the NARS role in the European integration process, particularly regarding the deputies’ terms of office, the Law on Financing of Political Parties, judiciary reform and NARS cooperation with regulatory bodies.

Füle briefed the parliamentarians on the questions in the questionnaire which he had handed over to Serbian Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic. The Deputy Group Heads were able to share their views on the process and say how they would help reach a consensus on the answers to the questions in the questionnaire.

Welcoming the Commissioner, Djukic-Dejanovic said that the Law on the National Assembly and the new Rules of Procedure enabled a significant improvement in the operation of the supreme legislative body and established a mechanism of cooperation between the NARS and independent state bodies thus improving the Assembly’s supervisory role over the work of the executive government.

Füle stressed that the EU gave a positive evaluation of the regional cooperation established in the previous period, as well as commended the adoption of the Srebrenica Resolution. The Speaker said that the Serbian Assembly has established excellent parliamentary cooperation with all the former Yugoslav republics and other countries in the region some of which are already European Union members, which allows Serbia to benefit from their experiences.

“The National Assembly is ready to react positively to the comments and suggestions as relates to the criticism of some of its activities or lack of activities so as to meet the requirements awaiting us in the approach to the European Union. To this end, the National Assembly shall spare no effort to react promptly, as soon as the Government submits the bill regulating the electoral system which should resolve the issue of blank resignations and deputies’ terms of office. The group of issues and problems yet to be resolved contains the problem of corruption and financing of political parties, which will be tackled by the National Assembly, within its competencies, as soon as the Government submits the appropriate proposals”, said the Speaker.

The Serbian Parliament Speaker also added that “At the same time, regarding the objections to the adoption of bills under urgent procedure, I wish to inform you that urgent procedure had been applied in order to honour the terms set out in the Rules of Procedure applicable to the relation submitter (mostly the Government) – National Assembly. Regarding that, we should do all we can to employ the institute of urgent procedure as little as possible.”

In the part of the meeting pertaining to independent bodies and judiciary reform, the Serbian Assembly Speaker expressed the NARS readiness to focus on the two issues in the upcoming period and, surely, come up with appropriate solutions. “I hope that today’s presentation of the National Assembly’s efforts and its role in the European integration process will contribute to EC’s positive ruling on Serbia’s readiness to gain candidacy status and commence negotiations for European Union membership”, said the Speaker.

Füle said: “There are some things that I can and cannot do. What I can do is come and bring the questionnaire and openly discuss all the open issues, but you are the ones who can use this opportunity, not me – you can do it” and added “we are at the beginning of the stage of developing and strengthening the relations between the EU and Serbia which will become more concrete, and in that stage I expect direct interaction with the NARS, particularly the European Integrations Committee.”