OHRID, 27 May 2013 – OSCE PA President Wolfgang Grossruck is in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia this week to participate in the 10th Conference of the South East Europe Process Speakers of Parliament. The Conference, being held in Ohrid on 27-28 May, is focusing on the economic crisis and other new challenges.

At the Conference, Grossruck stressed the importance of parliamentary involvement in decision-making as well as parliamentary oversight to ensure good governance. He noted that in developing remedies to economic difficulties, governments have often opted for technocratic solutions which are not understood nor supported by the people directly affected.

Emphasizing the responsibilities of parliamentarians as the voice of the people, he encouraged inter-parliamentary dialogue to counter the existing democratic deficit by taking collective action.

Accompanied by Special Representative on South East Europe Roberto Battelli, OSCE PA Special Representative Ambassador Andreas Nothelle, Ambassador Brigitte Brenner, Head of the EU and International Services of the Austrian Parliament and Lukas Mussi, Senior Advisor of the Austrian Parliament, President Grossruck has held talks with Ana Pavlovska-Daneva, Head of the OSCE PA Delegation of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia. The delegation also visited the OSCE Mission to Skopje on Sunday, where they met with Head of Mission, Ambassador Ralf Breth and his Deputy, Ambassador Marianne Berecz, to discuss the latest developments in the region.

Grossruck used this opportunity to meet with the host of the upcoming Annual Session in Istanbul, the President of the Turkish Parliament Cemil Çiçek, as well as other Speakers present at the meeting.