In his opening address, National Assembly Secretary General Veljko Odalovic underlined the importance of the National Assembly as a legislative body in Serbia’s Euro-integration process. In its current mandate, from 2008 to date, the Assembly has adopted 648 laws, the majority of which essential for Serbia’s meeting its obligations in the European integration process. This is an indication of the great work done by the National Assembly Service, parliamentary clubs and MPs in the course of the plenary sessions and committee sittings in the past three years. Secretary General Veljko Odalovic also emphasised the contributions the generations of interns have made to the National Assembly’s work.

The participants were also addressed by Thomas Moore, Deputy Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, who said that the goals of the OSCE Mission coincide with the spirit of the reform in Serbia such as democratisation, rule of law and respect for human rights. Through several projects the OSCE Mission to Serbia supports the improvement of the Parliament’s work such as the e-Parliament project and support to the strengthening of the capacities of the National Assembly committees.

Laszlo Varga, European Integrations Committee Chairman and MPs Momo Colakovic and Sinisa Stamenkovic took part in the ensuing panel discussion.

Laszlo Varga presented the multiple role of the National Assembly’s European Integrations Committee to the interns. The Committee reviews bills on the agenda for the National Assembly sessions from the aspect of their compliance with European legislation and follows the realisation on the National Programme for Integration (NPI). International cooperation is a very important aspect of its activities such as annual interparliamentary meetings with the European Parliament, European Commission, as well as on the bilateral level with the parliaments of European Union member states and parliaments of the states in the region. The role of the National Assembly and the European Integrations Committee is also important for the promotion of European values in society, realised through cooperation with the civil sector, concluded Varga.

Sinisa Stamenkovic, member of the Committee on Relations with Serbs Living Outside Serbia, presented the Committee’s role and activities to the interns. As the most important, he stressed the adoption of the Law on the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region in 2009, as well as the Amnesty Law in 2008. The Committee’s priorities are improving the diaspora’s level of information, as well as improving economic cooperation with the diaspora, stated Stamenkovic.

Momo Colakovic presented the role of the Committee on Development and International Economic Relations to the participants, pleased to be meeting the interns as this offers the opportunity to convey knowledge and experience to the young people.

The panelists’ addresses were followed by a debate in which the interns were informed on Serbia’s progress in the European integration process compared to other states in the region in more detail, as well as on other topics relating to the National Assembly’s work and competence.