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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Minority communities have equal position in Serbian political life

Belgrade/Budapest, 2 December 2006

Serbian Minister of Public Administration and Local Self-Government Zoran Loncar expressed belief today in Budapest that after the January 21, 2007 elections, Serbia will be an example of a successful democratic society where minority communities will equally participate in the country’s political life.

Zoran Loncar

Addressing participants of the eighth regional round table from the Balkans on interethnic relations, Loncar stressed that statements of political representatives of ethnic Albanians from the south of Serbia that they are willing to participate in the forthcoming elections are encouraging.

In that way, political representatives of ethnic Albanians from the south of Serbia will be able to incorporate themselves into the local political system, Loncar said.

Speaking on the status of Kosovo-Metohija, Loncar pointed out that political representatives of Serbia expect the same guarantees from Albanian leaders in Kosovo-Metohija and the international community that Serbia offers all national minorities on its territory.

Serbs expect respect of the UN Charter, international legal principles and fundamental document on Kosovo-Metohija, UN Security Council Resolution 1244, acknowledging Serbia’s full territorial integrity and sovereignty over Kosovo-Metohija, Loncar said.

He recalled that only a political dialogue can lead to Kosovo-Metohija’s final status and that any solution that would not be in line with basic international documents and principles of international law would be unacceptable, as it would not bring the necessary stability and prosperity, Loncar concluded.

Loncar also presented participants of the conference with the basic constitutional principles for national minorities in Serbia and provisions of the new Serbian Constitution which grants constitutional and legal guarantees and protection of their rights.

The two-day conference is being organised by USAID. Apart from Loncar, the conference is attended by Director of the Serbian government’s Service for Human and Minority Rights Petar Ladjevic. The conference was opened by Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Kinga Göncz and Director of the US Project on Ethnic Relations Livia Plaks.