Specialist conference
Details
29 October
9.00-9.30 Arrival and registration of participants
09.30-10.15 Welcome speeches
• Dr. Božo Ljubic, Speaker of the House of Representatives, BiH Parliamentary
Assembly
• Peter Sørensen, Head of the Delegation of the European Union and EU
Special Representative in BiH
• Sabina Wölkner, Director, Konrad Adenauer Foundation Office in BiH
• Nina Suomalainen, Acting Head of the OSCE Mission to BiH
10.15-12.00 Constitutional and Legislative Changes - A Necessity or Gesture of
Goodwill?
Moderators:
• Šefik Džaferovic, Chairman of the Constitutional - Legal Committee,
House of Representatives, BiH Parliamentary Assembly
• Krstan Simic, Chairman of the Constitutional - Legal Committee, House of
Peoples, BiH Parliamentary Assembly
Panellists:
• Thomas Markert, Secretary of the Venice Commission, Council of Europe
• Otto Brixi, Member of the Committee on European Affairs and the Committee
on the Constitutional and Legal Affairs, National Council of the
Slovak Republic
• Krasimir Tsipov, Member of the Legal Affairs Committee, National Assembly
of the Republic of Bulgaria
• Peda Grbin, Chairman of the Committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders
and Political System, Croatian Parliament
Discussion Questions
Does the EU have any requirements in terms of local constitutions?
Which constitutional and legislative changes were made in order to
comply with EU and international standards?
How were these changes designed and implemented?
What role did legal experts have in this process?
How was the public involved?
12.00-13.30 Lunch/Press Conference
13.30-15.00 The Role of Parliaments in the EU integration Process – Agents of
Change or Voting Machines?
Moderator:
• Sabina Wölkner, Director, Konrad Adenauer Foundation Office in BiH
Panellists:
• Eduard Kukan, Chair of the Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, European Parliament
• Michael Brand, Member of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian
Aid, German Bundestag
• Wolfgang Gerstl, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional
Issues, National Council, the Austrian Parliament
Discussion Questions
How can parliaments contribute to the overall success of the integration
process?
What is the role of national parliaments in the European multi-level
decision making system?
Does a country’s political impact wane after it becomes an EU member?
15.00-15.30 Break
15.30-16.30 Constitutional and Legislative Changes: Experiences from Slovenia and
Croatia – Issues, Challenges and Solutions
Moderator:
• Thomas Markert, Secretary of the Venice Commission, Council of Europe
Panellists:
• Prof. Siniša Rodin, University of Zagreb
• Roman Jakic, Chairman of the Committee on EU Affairs, the National Assembly
of the Republic of Slovenia
• Ingrid Anticevic Marinovic, Chairwoman of the Legislation Committee,
Croatian Parliament
• Peda Grbin, Chairman of the Committee on the Constitution, Standing Orders
and Political System, Croatian Parliament
Discussion Questions
Which constitutional and legislative changes were made to comply
with EU and international standards?
How were these changes designed and implemented?
What role did legal experts have in the process?
How was the public involved?
19.00-21.00 D i n n e r - J o i n tly hosted by the Constitutional - Legal Committees of
the BiH PA, the OSCE Mission to BiH and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation.
Location: Sarajevska Pivnica
Day Three, 30 October
9.30-11.15 C o n s t i t u t i o nal and Legislative Changes: Experiences from Serbia and
BiH – Issues and Challenges
Moderator:
• Andrea Cellino, Director of Policy and Planning Department, OSCE Mission
to BiH
Panellists:
• Doris Pack, Member of the Delegation for relations with Albania, Bosnia
and Herzegovina, Serbia, Montenegro and Kosovo, European Parliament,
European Parliament's Rapporteur on BiH
• Srdan Mikovic, Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Constitutional and
Legislative Issues, National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia
• Zlatko Kneževic, Judge of the Constitutional Court of BiH
• Šefik Džaferovic, Chairman of the Constitutional - Legal Committee,
House of Representatives, BiH Parliamentary Assembly
• Krstan Simic, Chairman of the Constitutional - Legal Committee, House of
Peoples, BiH Parliamentary Assembly
• PhD. Nenad Stojanovic, University of Zurich
Discussion Questions:
What are the critical issues to be addressed?
How are parliaments responding to them?
Are there any plans for constitutional and legislative reform?
How will the public be involved?
What role did legal experts have in this process?
11.15-12.00 Break/Group photo
12.00-13.15 R e c o m m e n d ations: How to Efficiently Harmonize Domestic Legislation
with the EU Acquis Communautaire
Moderator:
• Prof. Siniša Rodin, University of Zagreb
Panellists:
• Andrej Engelman, Secretary, Department of Economic Promotion, Ministry
of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Slovenia
• Otto Brixi, Member of the Committee on European Affairs and the Committee
on Constitutional and Legal Affairs, National Council of the Slovak
Republic
• Roman Jakic, Chairman of the Committee on EU Affairs, the National As4
sembly of the Republic of Slovenia
• Ingrid Anticevic Marinovic, Chairwoman of the Legislation Committee,
Croatian Parliament
Discussion Questions:
Which harmonization model was used?
What were the most difficult issues to resolve?
What are the lessons learned and recommendations to be given?
13.15-14.15 Lunch
14.15-15.45
Constitutional and Legislative Changes: Experiences from Macedonia,
Albania and Montenegro – Issues and Challenges
Moderators:
• Krstan Simic, Chair of the Constitutional - Legal Committee, House of
Peoples, BiH Parliamentary Assembly
• Šefik Džaferovic, Chairman of the Constitutional - Legal Committee,
House of Representatives, BiH Parliamentary Assembly
Panellists:
• John Packer, expert, United Nations
• Victor Gumi, MP, Secretary of the Legal Affairs Committee, Parliament of
Albania
• Representative from Montenegro
Discussion Questions:
What are the critical issues to be addressed?
How are parliaments responding to them?
Are there any plans for constitutional and legislative reform?
How will the public be involved?
15.45-16.00 Break
16.00-17.00 The Role of Parliaments in the European Integration Process: Constitutional
and Legislative Changes - Recommendations and Conclusions
Moderators:
• Šefik Džaferovic, Chairman of the Constitutional - Legal Committee,
House of Representatives, BiH Parliamentary Assembly
• Krstan Simic, Chairman of the Constitutional - Legal Committee, House of
Peoples, BiH Parliamentary Assembly
Discussion and Conference Close
Departure of participants/Airport transportation
This event is financially supported by:
