Second International Conference “Strengthening the role of parliaments and governments in promoting competitiveness and economic growth in the Western Balkan Countries”, Regional Network of parliamentary committees on economy and finance of the Western Balkan countries, supported by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, ended today in Miločer.

During the closing session, on the second day of Conference, the participants were addresses by: Ms. Romela Popović, a representative of the Government of Macedonia; Ms. Slavica Penev, senior researcher at the Institute of Economic Sciences.

Members of parliaments, including chairmen and members of parliamentary committees on economy and finance, experts and advisors from parliaments, governments’ representatives of the Western Balkan countries participated in the debate.

Results of the regional study were in the focus of the regional study – Strengthening the role of parliaments and governments in promoting competitiveness and economic growth, with special attention to: regulatory reform, institutional capacities for its implementation, implementing Regulatory Impact Analysis (RIA) in the development of new regulations, transparency and public debate on legislative process as well as simplifying and reducing administrative burdens. In addition to comparative surveys in countries in the region, information on strengths and weaknesses of economic and regulatory reforms in countries of the Western Balkans was also given.  

The Chairman of the Committee on Economy, Finance and Budget of the Parliament of Montenegro, Mr. Aleksandar Damjanović, the Secretary General of the Parliament, Mr. Damir Davidović, as well as  representatives of Committee service attended the Conference. 

It was announced that the next conference of Regional Network of parliamentary committees on economy and finance of the Western Balkan countries should be held in Macedonia, in June 2013.