The adopted budget of the Protector of Citizens for 2012 envisages separate funds intended for performing the duties of the NPM and amounting to RSD 7,670,000 (approx. EUR 75,000); this amount does not cover the salaries and contributions for the four (4) envisaged jobs in the separate organizational unit NPM. The Financial Plan of the NPM for 2012 has been made specifying as the purpose the approved funds are intended to serve the execution of the tasks of the NPM. The envisaged disbursements are for travel expenses, per diems, commission fees to experts and NGO representatives participating in visits and writing reports, equipment, fuel, development of a publication, translation of documents, etc. 2.4. Establishing cooperation in performing the duties of the NPM 2.4.1. Provincial Ombudsman A number of working meetings were held with the representatives of the Provincial Ombudsman of AP Vojvodina in order to identify the forms of cooperation prescribed by the Law in performing the duties of the NPM. Despite the problems that are commonplace worldwide when it comes to cooperation between the national and regional/provincial Ombudsmen, especially when it is necessary to introduce joint institutional (modalities of) work, agreement was reached fast, to the mutual satisfaction. The Protector of Citizens and the Provincial Ombudsman of AP Vojvodina signed on 12 December 2011 a Memorandum on Cooperation between the Protector of Citizens and the Provincial Ombudsman in performing the duties of the NPM. The Cooperation Memorandum regulates in more detail the cooperation between the Protector of Citizens and the Provincial Ombudsman in performing the duties of the NPM. It is envisaged that this cooperation will be pursued through the Provincial Ombudsman’s active participation in the NPM monitoring team’s visits to the institutions where the PDL are held in the territory of the AP Vojvodina. Likewise, it has been envisaged that the Provincial Ombudsman will also take part in the planning of visits to these institutions, drawing up of reports, making recommendations, (giving of) opinions and (drafting of) other documents of the NPM. The Provincial Ombudsman will also be involved in cooperation between the NPM and representatives of civil society, the state organs and bodies as well as in other activities of the NPM. 2.4.2. Associations Several working meetings were held with the representatives of the associations whose statute intended goal is the promotion and protection of human rights and freedoms. Further, a public debate took place with the participation of the academia, former convicts and the media so as to exchange views in order to identify the best model of cooperation between the Protector of Citizens and the associations prescribed by the Law in executing the tasks of the NPM. Despite the delicate nature of the problems when it comes to the cooperation between the state bodies and the civil (society) sector, a dynamic debate identified a model appropriate to the current state of play in the Republic of Serbia and acceptable to all the potential participants in execution of these tasks. The public debate lasted around two (2) months, which shows that the principle of transparency, stipulated by the guide of the Association for the Prevention of Torture (APT), was adhered to.