Topics covered at the meeting included providing adequate access to the building of the Parliament for persons of limited mobility, as well as implementing the plan of adjusting the buildings in public use for access, movement and use of persons of limited mobility by installing the adequate platform.
The MPs estimated that significant progress was made regarding exercising the rights of these persons, that a large number of laws had been amended, that progress had been achieved in the field of inclusive education, that architecture possibilities had been considered to ensure their equal participation in the social life, and that the awareness of citizens regarding their position had been raised. It was said that there was a quality legal framework for resolving the issues regarding the position of persons with disabilities, however there had been obstacles regarding its implementation and realisation of concrete activities. They concluded that there was willingness with all political entities to create conditions and fulfil legal obligations for full exercising of rights of this population, especially with regard to access and stay in the Parliament of Montenegro.
The Secretary General informed the attendees on developments in the project for creating conditions for access and unhindered movement and use of facilities of the Parliament of Montenegro, of which Direction for Public Works was in charge. On that occasion he expressed his belief that the legal obligation would soon be fulfilled and that the persons of limited mobility would have equal access to the building of the Parliament, meaning that the tender for drafting the project and performing construction was expected in the following month. Additionally, the possibilities of higher quality of information on the parliamentary work for the visually impaired persons and hearing impaired persons were being considered.
Head of Unit for Montenegro at the Directorate General of the European Commission for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations pointed out that the access to public institutions was only one of the segments of bringing the persons with disabilities closer to the society in order to meet their basic needs and that in this process the accessibility of the building of the Parliament, which was located in the centre of democracy, was of the essence.
Following that, in the EU info centre, a joint meeting was held between representatives of the European Commission, EU Delegation to Montenegro, MPs, Secretary General of the Parliament, representatives of the line ministries and NGOs dealing with protection of persons with disabilities. At the meeting, the main project of adjusting the building of the Parliament of Montenegro to persons of limited mobility and persons with disabilities was presented.