16 In the explanatory note to the Draft Law on designation of the NPM56 envisaged material conditions, necessary to execute NPM mandate are: • four job positions in the Expert Service of the Protector of Citizens; • earmarked funds of 10% of the Budget of the Protector of Citizens (additional funds in the Budget of the Protector of Citizens)57 3.2. Organizing and work preparations of the NPM in Serbia After its designation as a body in charge of executing the tasks of the NPM in Serbia, the Protector of Citizens did not start right away visiting facilities at which persons deprived of their liberty are kept. During the first 6 months after being designated by the Law to act as NPM, the Protector of Citizens conducted all necessary preparatory work in order to create conditions for performance of duties of NPM and execution of its mandate. Preparatory activities of the NPM, conducted in the second half of 2011, have been thoroughly described in the publication „Setting-up NPM in Serbia“58. In order to indentify the forms of cooperation prescribed by the law related to performing duties of the NPM, the Protector of Citizens signed a Memorandum on Cooperation with the Provincial Ombudsman of AP Vojvodina, as well as Cooperation Agreements with nine NGOs. By signing a Memorandum, cooperation between the Protector of Citizens and the Provincial Ombudsman has been agreed in relation to execution of the mandate of the NPM in the territory of AP Vojvodina. Under the Public Call for cooperation in executing the tasks of the NPM, and in accordance with the recommendation of the appointed Commission, the Protector of Citizens concluded cooperation agreements with Belgrade Center for Human Rights, the Victimology Society of Serbia, Dialogue – Valjevo, the International Aid Network (IAN), the Committee for Human Rights – Valjevo, Mental Disability Rights International Serbia (MDRI-S), Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM), the Helsinki Committee for Human Rights in Serbia and the Human Rights Center – Niš. Each association, according to the signed agreement, should systematically monitor the status of PDLs in one of the most important areas of NPM expertise (institutions: 56 57 58 Law amending the Law on the Ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on the Ratification of the Optional Protocol, explanatory note Described in the publication http://www.zastitnik.rs/attachments/Izvestaj%20NPM%20final.pdf