New Serbian Constitution introduced to the European Commission

BELGRADE, 10 October 2006 – New Serbian Constitution was introduced today to the European Commission in the second plenary session of the Enhanced Permanent Dialogue between Serbian Government and the European Union (EU) in Belgrade, said European Integration Office and reports Beta agency.

Second plenary meeting of the Enhanced Permanent Dialogue was dedicated to the new Serbian Constitution, Constitutional Law and the electoral legislation, reads the report.

European Commission representatives were informed on the basic principles and novelties in the Constitution, the relation between the international law and the Constitution, legal bases for European integrations, as well as the fulfillment of Copenhagen criteria in this major legal document.

The report states that the Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-government Zoran Loncar said during the opening of plenary meeting that the new Constitution will open the doors for Serbia’s future in European integrations and ensure that the obstacles along its European accession path be eliminated and finally ensure the EU accession.

`Today is a historic day for Serbia, since the adopted Constitution reflects a high level of political consensus in the National Parliament and democratic approval by Serbian citizens in the referendum`, Loncar said.

The press release of the European Integration Office reads that the Ambassador of Finland, EU presiding country, Anna Maia Korpi, confirmed again the certainty of Serbia’s European perspective and announced the adoption of mandate for negotiations on visa facilitation, as well as future financial support of EU to Serbia.

Ambassador Korpi said that the Union is ready to resume the negotiations for conclusion of Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Serbia immediately after the realization of cooperation with the ICTY, reads the press release.

Director General of the European Commission’s Enlargement Directorate, Michael Leigh, said that the annual progress report for Serbia in the Stabilisation and Association Agreement particularly emphasized the EU’s determination to continue with close cooperation with Serbia in realization of all obligations in the European integration process.

It is further reported that the President of Serbian Parliament, Predrag Markovic, said that the forthcoming parliamentary elections will prove democratic legitimacy of political players and key institutions in Serbia.