“I am convinced that Serbian EU path, with all tasks and processes that need to be undertaken, will result in success and lead to the goal both Serbia and Union are striving to achieve – to make Serbia formally a member of the great European family,” said Head of the EU Delegation to Serbia Michael Davenport at the ceremony celebrating 40 anniversary of EU Visitors’ Programme (EUVP) held at the National Assembly of Serbia.
Opening the exhibition organised on this occasion in the Main Hall of the National Assembly, titled “Sharing EU Values – Nice to Meet EU,” he explained that the Programme had been launched jointly by European Commission and European Parliament with the aim of educating young and prospective people from around to world about Union institutions.
Davenport said he was hoping to see many more study visits in the future. According to him, over the course of four decades, more than 4,000 participants from around 100 countries had an opportunity to visit Brussels and Strasbourg, whereas as of 2001, 35 visitors from Serbia took part in the Programme.
“The Programme is an opportunity for participants to talk about expectations and aspirations of their home countries. I am pleased to open this exhibition only two days after the first chapters with Serbia have opened,” said Ambassador Davenport.
He underlined that the opening of the first negotiating chapters was an extremely important step on Serbia’s European path, and the result of great endeavour, commitment and the good will of both the Government and civil society.
Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Vladimir Marinkovic said that the Parliament would continue its commitment and hard work on the Serbian EU path.
A day after the official opening of negotiating chapters, we mark this date and I reassure you we will work hard to introduce the highest living standards for our citizens, Marinkovic said.
Advisor to Minister without portfolio in charge with European integration Vladimir Ateljevic said each and everyone who had taken part in the Programme, contributed in a certain way to the opening of the first two chapters.
Vladimir Todoric, International Secretary of the Democratic Party, said Serbia’s European journey has lasted for 12 years, ever since the Thesaloniki Summit paved the way for European perspective of the Western Balkans.
Todoric reminded that he had taken part in the Programme seven years ago, when Serbia-EU relations were much different and the society divided over the membership in the EU. “Serbian Government today enjoys a much favourable position because there is no parliamentary party which would oppose the process of European integration,” he said. Read Vladimir Todoric’s blog “In Favour of the EU even when unpopular,” written on the occasion of 40 anniversary of EU Visitors’ Programme, on the EU Info Centre web-site.
Goran Miletic, Programme Director of the Western Balkans branch of Civil Rights Defenders and 2014 EUVP nominee, said that human resources mattered most in the process of EU accession.
“Our human resources are not abundant and this Programme is a way to make them and make them better,” said Miletic, whose blog titled “EUVP – A Lasting Result” can be found here.
The opening of the exhibition was attended by the majority of EUVP participants from Serbia.
EUVP alumni from Serbia, 2001-2015:
Prof. Maja KOVAČEVIĆ
Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade / 2001
Aleksandar KNEŽEVIĆ
Advisor at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs – Department for EU Institutions / 2002
Ambassador Dragan Bisenić
Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Egypt / 2002
Prof. Tanja MIŠČEVIĆ
Head of the Negotiating Team for the Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the EU of the Government of Serbia / 2004
Dr Milica DELEVIĆ
Deputy Secretary General at EBRD, London, UK / 2004
prof. Jovan TEOKAREVIĆ
Professor at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Belgrade / 2004
Zorana COLOMBO IVANKOVIĆ
Living in Brussels, full-time mother / 2004
Zoran BARANAC
News Editor at PRVA TV, Serbia /2004
Aleksandra POPOVIĆ
Director for legal affairs at ATLANTIK Group / 2005
Ksenija MILIVOJEVIĆ MILENKOVIĆ
Director a.i. European Integration Office of the Government of Serbia / 2006.
Strahinja BRAJUŠKOVIĆ
Member of Civilnet NGO Board in Belgrade and Consultant for Justice and Home Affaires /2006
Strahinja ĐURIČANIN
Head of Procurement Department at the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) Research and Development / 2007
Ivanka PAVIĆEVIĆ
Member of the Women’s Forum at the Democratic Party / 2007.
Vladimir TODORIĆ
International Secretary at the Democratic Party / 2008.
Dr Nada MARKOVIĆ, MSc
Programming Officer IPA funds at Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia / 2009.
Aleksandra ČALOŠEVIĆ
Independent Consultant / 2009
Danko BRČEREVIĆ
Advisor at Fiscal Council of the Republic of Serbia /2009
Jadranka JOKSIMOVIĆ
Minister without portfolio responsible for European Integration / 2010
Peđa OBRADOVIĆ
Journalist at N1 TV / 2010
Lidija VUČKOVIĆ
Founder and President of Centre for Human Rights Nis (CSO) / 2010
Dragana ĆIRIĆ MILOVANOVIĆ
European Regional Director at Disability Rights International / 2011.
Katarina OBRADOVIĆ JOVANOVIĆ
Head of SME Policy Unit, Ministry of Economy / 2011.
Petar SPASIĆ
Head of Department for planning and programming of EU funds and development assistance in the area economic and infrastructure development Serbian European Integration Office Government of the Republic of Serbia / 2011
Saša ĐORĐEVIĆ
Researcher – Belgrade Centre for Security Policy / 2012
Aleksandra KNEZ-MILOJKOVIĆ
President of NORMA CENTRE / 2012
Bojana MILIĆEVIĆ MANUNTA
Living in Algiers with her family / 2012
Danijela MILINKOVIĆ
Political affairs journalist VECERNJE NOVOSTI daily / 2013
Manuela BIŠKOVIĆ
Educational Assistant – Primary School Sveti Sava Pirot – member of ROMA’S WOMEN NETWORK OF SERBIA from Pirot / 2013.
Jovana ČANJI ARANĐELOVIĆ
Youth Programme Coordinator – NGO Association for Development and of Children and Youth OPEN CLUB from Nis / 2014
Ranka MILJENOVIĆ
Senior Project Manager, European Policy Centre (CEP) / 2014
Goran MILETIĆ
Civil Rights Defenders – Programme Director for Western Balkans /2014.
Vanja MACANOVIĆ
Coordinator at Autonomous Women’s Centre (CSO) / 2015.
Bojan ARSENIJEVIĆ
Training Coordinator NGO RE Generation and NGO Veza – medical nurse and outreach worker on vulnerable groups projects / 2015.
2016 EUVP alumni are:
Vladimir ORLIĆ
Member of Parliament (Chair of EU-Serbia SAPC)
Ivan VEJVODA
Associate of the Head of the Negotiating Team, Negotiating Team for the Accession of the Republic of Serbia to the European Union
