The Head of the Council of Europe Mission, Ms Antje Rothemund, congratulated the National Assembly Speaker on being elected, emphasising the long-standing successful cooperation with the Council of Europe and its mission to Serbia and expecting that the cooperation would continue, particularly via the Council of Europe’s support projects for national parliaments. Ms Rothemund was pleased to hear that the first visit the National Assembly Speaker was to make would be to the Council of Europe headquarters in Strasbourg.

The officials agreed that the National Assembly and Council of Europe’s priorities are identical – primarily the fight against corruption, minority rights protection, judiciary reform, parliament’s role in controlling the executive and freedom of the media.

National Assembly Speaker Nebojsa Stefanovic stated that the Council of Europe’s assistance toward a better and more comprehensive representation of the parliament i.e. parliamentary committees has been invaluable. Ms Rothemund was pleased at the fact that the National Assembly had created a Committee on the Rights of the Child, as recommended by the Council of Europe.