BELGRADE, 5 July 2011 –Delegations have started to arrive in Belgrade for the 20th Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. More than 240 parliamentarians are expected from 52 countries to take part in the largest event on the Assembly’s calendar.

Under the theme of “Strengthening the OSCE’s Effectiveness and Efficiency – A new start after the Astana Summit,” members will vote on more than 25 resolutions covering Mediterranean political transition, cyber security, combating transnational organized crime, human organ trafficking, food security, disaster planning, and nuclear energy among other issues.

The conference will also be the first major appearance for newly appointed OSCE Secretary General Lamberto Zannier.

All committee and plenary sessions will stream live online. Session photos will be shared on the PA’s photo sharing page at www.flickr.com/oscepa.

The five-day session ends 10 July with the election of officers and the adoption of the Belgrade Declaration, which helps shape OSCE and national policy.

President Petros Efthymiou and Speaker of the Serbian Parliament Slavica Dukic-Dejanovic will hold a news conference at 14.00 on Wednesday, 6 July at the Sava Centre in Belgrade.