Practical
information and reservations
Date and Venue
1. The second Conference
of the Presidents of Parliaments of South-East Europe within the framework
of the South-East European Cooperation Process will be held in Skopje,
on Tuesday, 20th of March and Wednesday, 21st of March 2001, at the
Alexander Palace Hotel. The Delegations' arrival is expected in the
afternoon of Monday, 19th of March and their departure in the afternoon
of Wednesday, 21st of March.
Participation and size
of the Delegations
2. Invitations for participation
in the Conference have been extended to the Presidents of Parliaments
of all the countries participants in the South-East European Cooperation
Process, as well as the Presidents of Parliamentary Assemblies and Representatives
of international organizations and institutions involved in the cooperation
process with South-East Europe.
Delegations of unicameral parliaments are expected to consist of 3 members,
the bicameral parliaments of 5 members while the international organizations'
delegations to have 2 members.
Sessions and addresses
3. The opening of the
Conference and the welcoming addresses, in the afternoon of 20th March,
will be followed by the debate on The Parliamentary Contribution towards
Stability, Economic Growth, Democracy and Good-Neighbourly Relations
in South-East Europe. The speaking order will be specified in accordance
with the established practice within the Process (speaking time limited
to approximately 10 minutes) - in alphabetical order of the family names
of the Heads of Delegations. In case of representation of both chambers
(for bi-cameral parliaments), both Speakers (or their representatives)
will be entitled to speak. On the 21st of March, after the end of the
debate, the Final Document is expected to be approved with acclamation.
Draft version of the Final Document will be agreed upon at the meeting
of the informal expert group expected to include representatives of
all delegations, scheduled for the afternoon of 19th March 2001.
Interpretation
4. Full simultaneous English
and French interpretation will be provided. Delegations intending to
speak in their own language are expected to provide their own interpreters,
notifying the organizer in advance.
Official documents
5. The Conference documents
will include: Draft Program, Draft Declaration and Preliminary List
of participants. Addresses by the participants, if made available in
writing, will be copied and distributed by the organizer.
Official functions
6. On 19th of March at
20.00 hours, a welcoming reception will be hosted by the President of
the Assembly, H.E. Mr. Stojan Andov. On 20th of March at 20.00 hours,
the President of the Republic H.E. Mr. Boris Trajkovski will host a
reception for the participants in the Conference.
The Assembly will offer a lunch on 20th of March as well as on 21st
of March 2001.
Accommodation
7. Delegations will be
accommodated at the Alexander Palace and Holiday Inn Hotels. The Assembly
will offer full hospitality for the Delegations in the following format:
unicameral parliaments - 3 members; bi-cameral parliaments - 5 members;
parliamentary assemblies of international organizations - 2 members.
Accommodation expences for any additional members of the official delegations
will have to be covered by each delegation.
Reservations are to be made through the Assembly's Protocol Department
(tel./fax: +389 2 113 683), by 9 March 2001 at latest.
Registration and Identification
Badges
8. Identification badges
will be provided for the participants in the Conference (Presidents
and Delegates). All participants are kindly requested to wear their
badges during the sessions and the activities provided for in the Conference
program.
Arrival, departure and local transportation
9. Delegations will be
welcomed at the Skopje Airport by staff of the Assembly's Protocol,
while those traveling by car will be provided security escort from the
border crossing. The exact arrival times should be made known as soon
as possible, and by 9 March at latest.
10. The Assembly will
also provide means for local transportation for the Delegations during
the Conference proceedings. Each Head of Delegation will be provided
an official car, while other participants will be offered transportation
by buses, mini-buses or cars, as appropriate.
Diplomatic representatives
11. In the Conference
Hall, Heads of Delegations may be accompanied by the country's ambassadors
or other diplomatic representatives, which should be made known to the
organizers in advance.
12. On 12th of March 2001,
a briefing on the Conference activities and arrangements will be organized
for the interested diplomatic representatives.
Press
13. During the Conference,
a press-center will be established in the hotel Alexander Palace. Accreditation
requests should be sent to the Information Department of the Assembly
(fax: +389 2 121 138; tel.: + 389 2 212 801;
e-mail: Goran@assembly.gov.mk.
The press-center will be equipped with PCs, telephones and fax machines;
the expenses are to be covered by the interested persons.
Press correspondents and media representatives will be allowed to attend
the opening and closing of the Conference, as well as the Press Conference.
Secretariat and technical staff
14. Technical service
equipped with PCs and photocopying machines will be established in the
Alexander Palace Hotel during the Conference. The Organizer's Secretariat,
led by Mr. Nikola Todorovski, State Adviser, will work in the Assembly
and is at the Delegations' disposal for any further queries (tel.: +
389 2 113 408; fax: +389 2 112 271 and +389 2 113 643).
