Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE PA), Cypriot MP, Kyriakos Hadjiyianni, expressed the Assembly’s readiness to provide all possible support in the field of minority rights in Serbia.
Hadjiyianni concluded on Friday his visit to Serbia as the Assembly’s Special Representative for South-Eastern Europe.
A press release issued by the Cyprus House said that Hadjiyianni had separate meetings with the Vice-President of the National Assembly of Serbia, Marina Ragus, the Minister of Human Rights and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, Tomislav Zigmanov, the Director of the Serbian Office for Kosovo and Metohija, Petar Petkovic, the members of the Serbian parliamentary delegation in the OSCE PA, the President of the Academy of Arts and Sciences of Serbia, Zoran Knezevic, as well as with representatives of local non-governmental organizations. Hadjiyianni also visited the offices of the OSCE Mission in Serbia where he had a meeting with the
head of the mission, Ambassador Jan Braathu.
During these meetings, Hadjiyianni referred, among other things, to the role of OSCE PA and his responsibilities as the Assembly’s Special Representative for South-Eastern Europe, the press release noted.
In this context, Hatzigianni referred extensively to his initiative to establish an Interparliamentary Forum for Southeast Europe within the OSCE PA, with the aim of strengthening parliamentary and wider cooperation between the countries of the Western Balkans.
Pointing out that the progress made in recent years in the area of minority rights should be continued and strengthened, he urged for the intensification of efforts to overcome the related challenges. In this context, he assured of the readiness of the OSCE PA to provide all possible support, the press release said.
The Vice-President of the Assembly was also informed about the latest developments in the country and specifically about the functioning of the institutions, regional cooperation and the pat
h of Serbia’s integration into the European Union.
“As far as the dialogue between Belgrade and Pristina is concerned, Hadjiyianni expressed his concern about the impasse, noting that the continuation of the dialogue, responsible behaviour and readiness to find a solution should be demonstrated,” the press release added.
Finally, referring to the recent mass demonstrations in the country, Hadjiyianni underlined the need to implement reforms in accordance with the conclusions and recommendations contained in the report of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR).
Source: Cyprus News Agency