Chairwoman of the Committee, Ms Branka Tanasijević, and the Secretary General of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr Siniša Stanković, presented basic details of the mission of the program in their opening addresses.

Democratic Workshops "Barbara Prammer" have been implemented since the end of 2012 with the aim of strengthening ties between the parliament and the youth. Initially, the Parliament of Montenegro implemented the program in cooperation with the ERSTE Foundation and Forum MNE, and later fully assuming its management. Democratic Workshops "Barbara Prammer" have been implemented with significant support from the Ministry of Education, as well as the Austrian Parliament and other partners. Workshops were planned as a program of civic education for primary school pupils and for children aged eight to 15 years that have been introduced with democratic processes, parliamentary system and the role of MPs and Parliament as an institution during four hours of workshops.

Democratic Workshops Program Coordinator, Ms Jelena Ulić, pointed out that in the period of two and a half years more than 600 workshops were organized in the Parliament of Montenegro, hosting about 14,000 participants, which accounts for about 20% of the total number of children aged eight to 15 years. The program covered over 60% of primary schools in Montenegro from 22 Montenegrin municipalities. Democratic Workshops trainer, Ms Slavica Karadžić, spoke about some experience in working with children. The video which presented the work with children was played as well.

Expressions were also shared by: teacher Sava Kovačević and pupils Petar Lopičić and Anja Kustudija from the elementary school "Oktoih"; teacher Marija Obadović and pupils Tara Vukašinović and Dunja Đuranović from the elementary school "Pavle Rovinski"; teacher Jasmina Ličina and pupils Amina Škrijelj and Snežana Savić on behalf of the elementary school "Božidar Vuković Podgoričanin"; and Ms Ana Zec, program coordinator at the UNICEF Montenegro. They expressed satisfaction and gratitude for the openness of the Parliament of Montenegro for offering young people an opportunity to learn and share opinions through the implementation of this program.

Committee members welcomed the implementation of the project and expressed satisfaction that the program of civic education, from which young people learn about preservation and nurturing of democracy and its values, has been implemented in the Parliament of  Montenegro, because the importance and effects of this program have been long-term.