The 4^th Inter-Parliamentary Meeting National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia - European Parliament, was held at the National Assembly House on 4 and 5 October. The meeting was jointly chaired by the National Assembly European Integrations Committee Chairman Laszlo Varga and European Parliament South East Europe Delegation Chairman Eduard Kukan.

Opening the meeting, National Assembly Speaker Prof. Dr Slavica Djukic-Dejanovic stressed that the past year had been the most successful one for Serbia in the European integration process, resulting in the best Progress Report to date, decision on the abolishment of the visa regime, unfreezing of the Transitional Agreement and submission of the EU candidacy request. So far, 75% of the National Programme for Serbia’s integration into the EU has been fulfilled which the National Assembly has significantly contributed to.

The National Assembly Speaker said that Serbia is dedicated to regional cooperation, fight against corruption and organised crime, further implementation of reform and meeting the obligations from the “roadmap”.

EP Delegation Chair Eduard Kukan highlighted Serbia’s obvious progress toward the EU, but said that additional efforts were needed so as to meet the Union’s accession criteria. The European Parliament’s Delegation for South East Europe expects a positive answer from the European Commission to Serbia’s request for EU candidacy and will recommend that Belgrade be given the “green light”, said Kukan.

Deputy Prime Minister in charge of European Integration Bozidar Djelic restated that last year Serbia achieved progress in its approach to the EU and is working on a “reform of its own society” aimed at a better life for its citizens.

European Integration Office Director Milica Delevic believes that Serbia will step up its approach toward the EU next year and prepare answers to the EU questionnaire and commence membership talks. She pointed out that the results of a public survey demonstrate that the citizens believe that the approach toward the EU should be faster and blame the slow progress on the Serbian executive power, as well as the EU for its constant conditioning.

In his address, Vincent Degert, Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia, pointed out the six key issues that Serbia should focus on in the continuation of its European progress – full cooperation with the Hague Tribunal, strengthening of the rule of law (reinforcing independent and impartial judiciary), fight against organised crime and corruption and regional cooperation.

In the meeting, the officials exchanged opinions on the political situation in Serbia and prospects of its future EU integration. The EU delegation members expressed their readiness to assist Serbia to realise it European future. They also considered the issues important for Serbia’s European integration process such as the fight against corruption, the rule of law and completion of the judiciary reform.

The participants focused on the Kosovo-Metohija issue, highlighting the need for peaceful dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina. The European parliamentarians pointed out the need to commence dialogue between the two sides as soon as possible and offered assistance.

The meeting also touched on the difficult economic situation in Serbia and the need to implement necessary structural reform.

The participants stressed that regional cooperation is important for European integration, as well as other benefits that it brings to the states in the region. They emphasised the importance of the Danube Strategy with its great potential for improving regional cooperation.

In addition to parliamentarians from several states, members of the European Parliament and the host – members of the National Assembly’s European Integrations Committee, deputies, members of the Justice Committee, Committee on Kosovo-Metohija and Committee on Inter-Ethnic Relations, as well as Serbian Government representatives also took part in the inter-parliamentary meeting.

Following the completion of the meeting, a Joint Statement by the Chairpersons of the Delegations was adopted.