RCEI “Cooperation between State and Civil Sector in the Field of Judiciary and Fundamental Rights”
- Published: Friday, 27 February 2015 14:04
On Friday, 27 February 2015, organizations gathered in the framework of the project “Regional Convention on European Integration” – European Movement in Montenegro, European Movement in Serbia and European Movement of Albania, in cooperation with Human Rights House, organized a seminar titled “Cooperation between State and Civil Sector in the Field of Judiciary and Fundamental Rights”.
Seminar was opened by: Vlastimir Matejic and Maja Bobic from the European Movement in Serbia, Momcilo Radulovic from the European Movement in Montenegro and Milan Antonijevic from the Human Rights Committee YUCOM, who presented the importance and challenges of negotiation Chapter 23: Judiciary and Fundamental Rights. Welcoming speeches were held by Michael Davenport, Head of EU Delegation in Serbia, Jadranka Joksimovic, Minister without portfolio responsible for human rights and Karla Wursterova, Executive Director of International Visegrad Fund which, together with German Stability pact finance this project. Speakers emphasized the necessity of cooperation between state sector and civil sector in the accession process to the EU.
Tanja Miscevic, Chief Negotiator for Serbia’s accession negotiations with the EU, also addressed the participants and stressed out the importance of participation of civil society organizations especially in the field of judiciary reforms and human rights. She spoke about three levels of cooperation with civil society organizations: the first one was during a screening, in stage of making action plans and during the implementation of agreed measures.
Three panels were held: “Cooperation between State and Civil sector in the fight against corruption in the context of European integration”, “Cooperation between State and Civil sector in the field of protection of human rights” and “Cooperation between State and Civil sector in the field of judiciary reforms”. Within panels we dealt with experiences of Visegrad group countries (Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland) and Serbia, Montenegro and Albania during the process of European integration and accession negotiations to the EU.
Seminar assembled representatives of state institutions, organizations of civil society and experts from these seven countries. Panelists were Marijana Obradovic, Assistant Director in sector for prevention affairs in Agency for fight against corruption, Goran Ilic, Association of Public Prosecutors and Deputies of Public Prosecutors of Serbia, Zorana Markovic, Program Assistant of Center for Developing Nongovernmental Organizations, Montenegro, Omer Hadzimerovic from Judges Society of Serbia, Laslo Vertesiiz Fondation Szazaveg, Hungary, Vjolca Mecaj, Executive Director of Helsinki Committee of Albania, Ivana Vujovic, Executive Director of NGO Juventas, Montenegro, Milos Radonjic, Secretary of Negotiation Group for Chapter 24, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and European Integration, Montenegro, Gledis Gipali, Executive Director of European Movement in Albania, Tomas Strazay, Researcher in Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA).
One of the conclusions of this seminar “Regional Convention on European Integration” was that the role of civil society of region is a key in the process of European integration and accession negotiations to the European Union, due to the expert knowledge that they provide and necessity of including and informing public about these processes.