The public hearing was opened by Milica Delevic, Chairperson of the European Integration Committee, and the participants were also greeted by the National Assembly Speaker, MA Nebojsa Stefanovic. He stressed that the development of relations with the EU are Serbia’s foreign policy priority, adding that the country remains determined to reach its goal – full EU membership. Hoping that Serbia would be granted the date to start negotiations in June, Stefanovic said that the date would mark a new stage in Serbia’s speedy development. The speed of Serbia’s progress toward the European Union depends on Serbia itself and its readiness to take on reform, and its EU membership is important for the entire region, said the National Assembly Speaker adding that the Assembly would do all in its power to make sure it happens sooner rather than later.

The Director of the European Integration Office, Milan Pajevic, presented the Action Plan and measures for its implementation. The Action Plan covers the period until 1 September 2013 and contains 231 measures, and by the end of February the Government will also adopt a medium-term national programme of adoption of EU regulations for a four-year period. Pajevic said that the European Commission was preparing, independently from the progress report, a report which would cover several key areas Serbia is to tackle in depth in the next months and years, viz. coordination of the European integration reform, judiciary reform, anti-corruption struggle, respecting the independence of key institutions, freedom of the media, anti-discrimination, protection of minorities and business environment. According to the Action Plan, the Government should formulate 50 bills by September, as well as adopt about 60 by-laws and about ten strategies in various fields. Pajevic stressed that one of the priorities would be to reduce the urgency of adoption procedures, as well as constant consultation with the European Integration Office, EU Delegation to Serbia and European Commission.

The participants of the public hearing were also addressed by the Head of the European Union Delegation to Serbia, Vincent Degert. He said that the Action Plan for meeting the recommendations of the European Commission demonstrates Serbia’s credibility in the Euro-integration process. Serbia has achieved considerable progress and taken practical steps on the road to the European Union, and this is an important moment for it as it waits for the European Commission’s report. Speaking of the reform process, Degert said that Brussels expects further progress in the fight against corruption and organised crime, judiciary and public administration reform, as well as anti-discrimination efforts. Speaking on the progress achieved so far, Degert deemed that Serbia should continue the past months’ good work and the National Assembly should continue to strengthen its relations with the parliaments of EU member states in order to ensure better perception of the results achieved.

The main topics of discussion at the public hearing were the judiciary reform and fight against corruption, non-discrimination and inclusion of marginal social groups, and the position of regulatory bodies.

Danilo Nikolic, Sate Secretary at the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, spoke about the judiciary reform and fight against corruption. He stressed that, according to the Action Plan, new anti-corruption and judiciary reform strategies should be adopted in March, which will serve as the basis for the improvement of the work of judiciary bodies in the further judiciary reform process and for a more effective fight against corruption and crime. Representatives of the Anti-Corruption Agency, High Judicial Council and State Prosecutors’ Council gave opening addresses on the topic.

Speaking about non-discrimination and inclusion of marginal social groups, the Director of the Human and Minority Rights Office, Dusan Ignjatovic said that, according to the Action Plan, the anti-discrimination strategy should be adopted in the second quarter of 2013 and the document should create the grounds for the implementation of anti-discrimination policies. The Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Nevena Petrusic, was pleased that the European Commission had commended the results of the efforts to suppress discrimination, saying that the situation is far from satisfactory and that there is more work yet to be done, primarily as regards eliminating the causes of discrimination.

Ombudsman Sasa Jankovic spoke of the position of independent regulatory bodies and the state authorities’ attitude toward them. According to him, EU representatives and other foreigners are given the impression that the independent control bodies are paid a lot of attention and said to be the key elements for the development of democracy, but objective indicators of the attitude of the government bodies toward them become glummer each year. He added that he saw no point to strengthening independent bodies if the lapses they detect are not addressed in practice. Sharing his belief that the independent bodies are beneficial for the citizens of Serbia, Jankovic said that the percentage of civic recommendations implemented is about 70%, compared to the 82% in the case of the European Ombudsman's recommendations.