Dačić met with Commissioner of Council of Europe for Human Rights Mijatović

The conversation was dedicated to the topics within the competence of the Commissioner, such as the position of human rights and freedoms, transitional justice, women's rights and gender equality, freedom of expression, association and assembly. Dačić pointed out that Serbia highly appreciated the role of the Commissioner for Human Rights as an important mechanism for the protection and improvement of the position of human rights and freedoms in the member states of the Council of Europe, inter alia, through identifying and calling attention to possible shortcomings, both in the legislative framework that regulates the issue of human rights and in its implementation.

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dačić noted that reforms were still our main priority and expressed gratitude to the Council of Europe for their support in the reform process. Dačić emphasized that it was necessary to strengthen the political dialogue among the members of the Council of Europe and stressed Serbia's commitment to stability in the region and ensuring favourable climate for the dialogue and resolving all open issues in a peaceful and responsible manner. Dačić said that numerous steps that have been taken in the area of the rule of law were a clear indication of our commitment to European integration and development of sound foundations for further development. Considering human rights, the interlocutors exchanged opinions on the position of rights and freedoms of Serbs in Kosovo and Metohija, including the rights and freedoms of returnees, which were addressed in the Commissioner's Memorandum published after her visit to Kosovo and Metohija in June last year, where numerous obstacles to the sustainable return of the Serbs were recognized in KiM.