Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Prof. Dr Dragoljub Micunovic and Committee members Zeljko Ivanji and Nikola Lazic met today with a delegation of the French Senate Foreign Relations and Defense Committee visiting Serbia from 16 to 18 December. The delegation comprises senators Rene Beaumont, from the Saône-et-Loire region, and Bernard Piras from the Drom region.

In the meeting, the officials confirmed the traditional friendship between Serbia and France and the wish to continue to cultivate the two countries’ privileged relations. They emphasised their interest in strengthening political, economic and defense cooperation, as well as parliamentary cooperation in the cultural, educational and social spheres. Senator Beaumont pointed out that France wishes to assist Serbia so as to speed up is accession to the European Union and pointed out that the democratisation of institutions should occupy a special place in the reform. He spoke of the institute of blank resignations which is not a democratic means and should be abolished.

Committee Chairman Micunovic said he expected France to use its influence to help Serbia gain the status of European Union membership candidate which would, according to him, speed up the economic and social reform and help revive the economic growth.

Micunovic said that, before submitting the EU membership candidacy next year, the National Assembly would adopt a new electoral legislation which would regulate the issue of deputy mandate ownership.

The meeting was attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of France to Serbia, François -Xavier Deniau.