The Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic received today the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba in Serbia, H.E. Julio Cesar Cancio Ferrer and the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain in Serbia, H.E. Iñigo de Palacio España, in separate visits.

In his farewell visit to the National Assembly, the Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba briefed the Assembly Speaker on his country’s parliamentary activities and the ongoing reforms of the financial system and economy. In the meeting, both sides expressed their satisfaction with the cooperation between the two countries in the fields of agriculture, energy production and health. Ambassador Ferrer added that the cooperation between Cuba and Serbia shall be raised to a higher level after the National Assembly Speaker’s visit to Cuba by the end of the year.

The Assembly Speaker thanked the Cuban Ambassador on his country’s principled position regarding the issue of Serbia’s territorial integrity in Kosovo-Metohija and stressed the importance of intensifying parliamentary cooperation through the cooperation of the parliaments’ working bodies and friendship groups.

The Ambassador of the Kingdom of Spain to Serbia and the National Assembly Speaker talked about strengthening parliamentary cooperation, Spain’s support of Serbia regarding Kosovo-Metohija and the European integration process. They particularly emphasised how important Spain’s future chairmanship of the European Union would be for Serbia and the cooperation between the two parliaments on the level of Speakers, working bodies and friendship groups.

Ambassador España confirmed his country’s position on the issue of Serbia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, adding that Spain shall continue to support Serbia on its road of European integration, particularly while it presides over the European Union.

Assembly Speaker Djukic-Dejanovic stated that the National Assembly is ready for more intensive cooperation with Spanish parliamentarians, which would be strengthened by a meeting of the two Parliament Speakers and signing of a Cooperation Agreement between the two countries’ legislative bodies. The conversation emphasised the importance of cooperation between the National Assembly’s European Integrations Committee and the joint European Affairs Committee of the Spanish Congress and Senate, which shall be realised by the Spanish deputies’ official visit to the National Assembly in September of this year. The officials also stressed the importance of the parliaments’ surveillance role over the executive government, as well as the importance of monitoring the implementation of the laws adopted by the parliaments.

National Assembly Speaker and Ambassador España also talked about Spanish investments into Serbia, as well as the National Assembly granting consent to the Statute of Vojvodina, which the Assembly Speaker believes, shall be on the agenda of the first upcoming extraordinary session of the National Assembly.