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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

First session of Assembly of Diaspora, Serbs in the Region to be held in Belgrade

Belgrade, 26 June 2010

Minister of the Diaspora Srdjan Sreckovic stated today that the first session of the Assembly of the Diaspora and Serbs in the Region will be held from 3 to 5 July in Belgrade. The Assembly will help expand and strengthen economic, political and cultural links between Serbs living abroad and their home country.

Srdjan Sreckovic

Speaking at a press conference, Sreckovic emphasised that the inaugural session of the Assembly will be held at the House of Parliament on 3 July and that it will be attended by top state officials.

On the same day a constitutive session will also be held, at which an Assembly President will be elected, announced Sreckovic, adding that Assembly delegates will meet with Serbian Patriarch Irinej the following day.

Three sessions, each devoted to a different subject will be held on 5 July. These sessions will be about economic development and investment by Serb communities abroad, improving the position of Serbs living abroad and the preservation of national identity. Later that day, Assembly delegates will meet with Prime Minister Mirko Cvetkovic, the Minister elaborated.

Under the Law on the Diaspora and Serbs in the region, the Assembly consists of 45 delegates. The Prime Minister, ministers of the diaspora, foreign affairs, youth, and religion will take part in the work of the Assembly. Representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the Serbian Academy of Sciences and Arts, the Serbian Chamber of Commerce, Radio Television of Serbia and the Permanent Conference of Cities and Municipalities will also work together with the Assembly, he explained.

The policy towards communities abroad is becoming increasingly more important at a state level and the Assembly will be a symbol of the unity between the country and its citizens living abroad, regardless of their ethnic or religious identity, observed the Minister.

The Assembly will make strategic decisions and provide guidelines for joint work with state organs which are responsible for implementing the policy towards communities abroad and are making efforts to improve their position and for raising awareness about the preservation of national identity among the more than four million people living outside the country, he stressed.

Ways must be found to gain maximum benefit from the efforts of Serbs abroad to help their country, noted Sreckovic, adding that well organised Serbian communities, particularly in EU countries are of special importance for Serbia’s development.