As US Congress and Government prepare to consider continuing financial assistance for reforms in Serbia, the delegation of the Serbian Assembly yesterday met key politicians responsible for making decisions on whether the United States would continue to support the strengthening of Serbia’s economy and the creation of new jobs.

“The reactions to our delegation’s visit have been very positive, and we have been very much encouraged by the understanding we have encountered and by the awareness of the challenges we are facing in building political and other institutions in Serbia. They are very much interested in our success and completely aware that Serbia has made progress much more quickly than other countries that underwent a period of transition”, said Gordana Comic, Vice-president of the Serbian Assembly and head of the delegation visiting the US Congress.

At yesterday’s meeting with the Helsinki Commission, a US Government agency charged with co-ordinating activities with OSCE, the heads of the International Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives, as well as the National Security Council, the delegation informed their hosts of their conviction that the political institutions in Serbia have remained stable after the death of Prime Minister Zoran Djindjic.

“Everybody we have met has expressed their sorrow and sympathy for the tragic loss that our country suffered. They have also congratulated the people and leadership of our country on the strong response and determination to preserve the vision of our late Prime Minister”, Comic added.

“The leadership of the United States also attaches special importance to the fact that we have become the leading nation in the region in openly combating corruption and organised crime, keeping at the same time our determination to preserve human rights and individual freedoms. It was quite clear that the US Administration very much respects the achievements of the people and the leadership of Serbia”, concluded the Assembly’s Vice-president.

The US Government is set to decide by 15 June whether to continue financial assistance to the reformist Government of Serbia. The parliamentary delegation’s visit is sending a strong message - that the leadership is stable, that political co-operation and economic reforms will continue, and that the people of Serbia are committed to their country’s new future.

If financial assistance continues, Serbia will be one step closer to normalising commercial relations with the United States. The efforts of the Serbian leadership in building these relations are important for attracting foreign investment and financial resources, as well as for the reconstruction of factories and the creation of new jobs in Serbia.

Besides Gordana Comic, the delegation comprises Bojan Pajtic, chairman of the DOS “Reform of Serbia” Deputies’ Group and chairman of the Serbian Assembly’s Legislative Committee, Vlatko Sekulovic, vice-chairman of the Committee on Development and Foreign Economic Relations, and Miroslav Filipovic, Deputy to the Assembly of Serbia and Montenegro and member of the Foreign Affairs Committee.