On 9 December, at the request of the British Embassy, the President of the Party of United Pensioners of Serbia Deputy Group, Momo Colakovic received a delegation of the Embassy of Great Britain in Serbia, headed by Cathy Cottrell, First Secretary at the Embassy.

Expressing his gratitude for the interest the British Embassy exhibited for PUPS’s activities and efforts to influence the improvement of the Parliament’s work, Momo Colakovic pointed out that PUPS’s basic goal is to advance the perennially bad social and material position not only of pensioners but of all socially endangered people, especially the youth. He stated that PUPS has about 300 thousand members and actively participates in the government, from the municipal to the republic level. This political party, as he stated, has such a structure that it can influence decisions important for pensioners, which is clearly evident in PUPS’s successful implementation of the Decree on extraordinary 10% pension rise. Also, great efforts are invested to amend and modify the Laws on Pension and Disability Insurance, Health insurance and Labour. Momo Colakovic particularly stressed PUPS’s positive attitude towards economic integration and Europe and pointed out that this parliamentary party will be engaged in the speedy procedure of passing laws important for Serbia’s integration into Europe. He also emphasised that PUPS is prepared to carry the weight of the world, economic and financial crisis, but that it insists that economising be uniform on all levels and in all sectors.

Talking about improving the Parliament’s work, he stated that PUPS insists on a high degree of agreement and alignment before the National Assembly comes into session, which can be achieved through the activities of the committees and other assembly working bodies, as well as by passing an Act on the National Assembly, a new Rules of Procedure and adopting a code of conduct for the purpose of raising the dialogue to the highest level.

At the question whether new elections might be looming, the PUPS Deputy Group President estimated that new elections are in noones’s interest right now, because considerable means, time and energy would be spent without achieving political stability in the country. He asked for more political understanding from Europe, stressing the great efforts the Government makes on stabilising the economic and social affairs in Serbia.

The representative of the British Embassy gave a positive estimate of PUPS’s active involvement in the government and the impressive number of members the party has managed to gather in a relatively short time. She stressed that Great Britain wants Serbia in Europe, that it supports the ruling coalition which is making considerable efforts in that direction, adding that this meeting should be viewed as lending support and help to the efforts PUPS makes to speed up Serbia’s integration into Europe.