for the implementation of the Stabilization and Association Agreement. Furthermore, he participates also in the continual reporting of the Republic of Serbia with regards to the accession to the European Union. Within activities at the international level, the Protector of Citizens establishes cooperation also with the Council of Europe, so the European Commission of the Council of Europe against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) in 2019 submitted relevant information referring to tracking of the implementation of two recommendations from the report of this body published in 2017. Furthermore, regarding the celebration of the 25th anniversary of the establishment of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance the representative of the Protector of Citizens attended the conference held in Paris, France to the topic of new responses to racism and intolerance. In the context of intensification and strengthening of the cooperation at the bilateral level, the Protector of Citizens in 2019 continued with signing of memoranda on cooperation and it was done with ombudspersons of Romania, Greece, North Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina. These memoranda defined activities and cooperation of ombudspersons in cases of the failure of adherence to rights and freedoms of the citizens of the Republic of Serbia at the territory of signatories as well as the citizens of these countries at the territory of the Republic of Serbia. Furthermore, these memoranda stipulated also the implementation of joint projects and programs, organization of mutual visits, internship, trainings and provision of practical assistance in the field of the protection of citizen rights. During 2019 the cooperation with ombudspersons of other countries was strengthened also through bilateral meetings of the protector of citizens with ombudspersons of Romania, Austria, Kazakhstan, Sweden, Denmark, Scotland, representative of the ombudsman of France as well as the Children and People's Commissioner of Scotland. Apart from strengthening of the mutual cooperation, these bilateral meetings contributed to the exchange of experiences and good practices about current topics and trends in the field of human rights and manners of functioning of the ombudsman institution. With the aim of deepening and intensifying of the cooperation, as well as exchange of experience in the field of human rights bilateral visits were paid to the Protector of Citizens in 2019 by ombudspersons of Montenegro, the Russian Federation, Romania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and representative of the ombudsman of the Netherlands. In 2019 the Protector of Citizens received representatives of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Turkey in order to introduce them to the competences and operation methodology of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) of Serbia. On several occasions, participating at international and regional conferences the Protector of Citizens presented the results of its operation and thus contributed to strengthening of his recognizability and visibility in the system of human rights protection. The Protector of Citizens attended also international conferences dedicated to the 20th anniversary of the establishment of the Ombudsman of Greece, 10-year anniversary of the establishment of the National Preventive Mechanismof Georgia, and 15-year anniversary of the establishment of the Ombudsman of Armenia. At the conference organized by the Ombudsman of Azerbaijan, the protector of citizens discussed the role of the ombudsman institution in reaching of goals of sustainable development from the perspective of the Protector of Citizens of the Republic of Serbia. Upon the invitation of the Ombudsman of Tukey, the Protector of Citizens attended the second international conference about principles of good administration and ombudsmen. Within the international conference organized by the Ombudsman of Cyprus, the protector of citizens took part discussing the role of the Venice Principles in strengthening of the ombudsman institution. Upon the invitation of the high commissioner for human rights of the - 125 -