On 16 June 2011, the National Assembly of Serbia launched its new website. As the supreme representative body and holder of constitutional and legislative power in Serbia, the National Assembly strives for increased transparency and inclusive interaction with Serbian citizens. Developed with technical assistance from EWMI’s Separation of Power Program (SPP), the updated website will facilitate this openness with a comprehensive events and activities calendar, which includes plenary sessions and working group meetings; a searchable database of both drafted and enacted legislation text; as well as, information that addresses frequently asked questions about the Assembly, budgeting, law adoption, and election cycles.

Additionally, the new website provides comprehensive streaming news sources for both Serbian citizens and the international media. Through social networking with Facebook and Twitter; a searchable law database; and an automated newsletter, the new website directly impacts news quality and increased dialogue across networking mediums.

Echoing the impact of the new website, USAID Mission Director Susan Fritz stated at the launch event, “We truly hope the website will allow civil society and the public to play a greater role in determining what kind of country Serbia will be in the future.”

Visitors are welcome to view the new website at www.parlament.rs.