The Office for European Affairs organised a conference dedicated to the Draft Law on Public Procurement

In cooperation with the Public Procurement Office of Republic of Serbia, the Office for European Affairs has organised a conference on the Draft Law on Public Procurement in the great hall of the Assembly of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. The speakers were representatives of the Republican Public Procurement Office and Commission for Protection of Bidders’ Rights. Predrag Jovanović, Director of Public Procurement Office, presented what novelties would be introduced in the new Law, and he specially announced the Public Procurement Portal, where public procurements would be announced free of charge in the future. It was also announced that the new Law would impose a civil servant specialised in public procurement, who would be trained and certified by the Public Procurement Office, whereas the representatives of local self-governments, about thirty municipalities of Vojvodina and the city of Niš, were interested in the details the new Public Procurement Law would bring.

“Our task is to promote all the laws which can take us nearer to the EU standards and legislation. The sooner we start with harmonisation, the better for us. The Law represents a very important link and it is certainly is a step forward with reference to the current solution. It is also of particular interest to harmonise our legislation with the EU’s in relation to the implementation of projects which are financed by the EU IPA Funds, so that the projects could be implemented in the best possible way”, said Predrag Novikov, Director of the Office for European Affairs. During the discussion with the representatives of the Public Procurement Office, Novikov suggested taking into consideration the fact that in the case of procurement of goods related to projects which are financed by EU funds, European legislation should be applied by means of a special amendment, so that possible difficulties in interpretation could be avoided. Likewise, “I asked the colleagues from the Public Procurement Office to take into consideration the possibility of announcing tender invitations and providing all public procurement related information in the languages of national minorities as well. Respect for difference is a European and a Vojvodinian achievement, which we wish to maintain” said Novikov.