The members of the Republic of Serbia National Assembly Standing Delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and representatives of the assembly committees on defense and security, European integrations, foreign affairs and Kosovo-Metohija met today at the National Assembly House with a delegation of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security (Sub-Committee for Democratic Governance). The NATO Parliamentary delegation, visiting Serbia on 22 and 23 October, was headed by Committee Deputy Chairman Vincenzo Bianco (Italy).

The NATO Parliamentary delegation head stated that their visit is aimed at learning about Serbia’s domestic policy priorities, particularly in the sphere of defense and security, relations with NATO and the European Union, situation in Kosovo-Metohija, as well as the development of the situation in the Western Balkans region. After the visit, the Committee shall prepare the final version of the report and concurrent resolutions on “The Western Balkans, 15 years after Dayton: Achievements and Prospects” to be considered and adopted at the upcoming NATO PA annual session in Warsaw from 12 to 16 November 2010.

The NATO parliamentarians were interested in Serbia’s new defense and security policy, regional cooperation and difference of opinions among the political parties regarding the European Union and NATO accession.

The members of the NARS Standing Delegation to NATO PA Konstantin Samofalov and Vlajko Senic informed the NATO PA delegation that, last year, Serbia adopted defense and national security strategies aimed at defending the country and contributing to world peace. Serbia aims to integrate into the common European and global political and security system. According to them, the Government and Parliament’s decisions to increase the presence of Serbian army members in EU missions were endorsed by both the opposition and the position and pave the road to a higher usage of Serbia’s experience and potentials in the sphere of defense and security. In the past years, Serbia has reformed the military and will, from the beginning of 2011, have a fully professional army.

The Serbian delegation members informed the guests of the existence of a political consensus on Serbia’s EU accession, adding that more than 60% of the citizens support European integration. In the last two years, the National Assembly has passed a large number of laws harmonising the national and EU legislation which should be completed by 2012.

Serbia’s accession to NATO was said to be a matter of divided opinions. In late 2007, the National Assembly adopted a Resolution on the Protection of Sovereignty, Territorial Integrity and Constitutional Order of the Republic of Serbia defining its military neutrality, and the public opinion is mostly against the accession as the memories of the 1999 NATO aggression against Serbia are still fresh, as is the arrival of NATO troops to Kosovo-Metohija.

There were also opinions that the Euro-Atlantic integration process is indivisible, that Serbia should join the NATO alliance and a pragmatic debate should be opened on the issue. Some opined in favour of acknowledging reality and the fact that all the countries in the region have either jointed or are on the way to become NATO members, and that the idea is endorsed by several political parties.

Konstantin Samofalov stressed that Serbia shall endeavor to use the potential from the Partnership for Peace and strive to open a new chapter in its cooperation with the NATO alliance.

The Assembly Committee members highlighted Serbia’s significant progress in regional cooperation, particularly with neighbouring countries, in the spheres of economy, security and other.

The NATO parliamentary delegation members expressed support for Serbia’s European perspective and assurance that as soon as next week the European Union Council will forward Serbia’s EU membership candidacy to the European Commission.

The National Assembly delegation comprised deputies Suzana Grubjesic, Laszlo Varga, Natasa Vuckovic, Dusan Bajatovic, Nikola Lazic, Balint Pasztor, Jasmina Milosevic, Mladen Grujic, Srdjan Spasojevic and Edip Serifov.