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The Government of the Republic of Serbia

In the service of citizens

Representatives of minorities invited to participate in registration and election for national councils

Belgrade, 22 January 2010

Minister for Human and Minority Rights Svetozar Ciplic invited the representatives of minorities to participate in the registration and the election for the national councils of national minorities.

Ciplic said that the new Law on National Councils of National Minorities entered into force in September 2009.

The Minister said that the elections for 19 national councils will be held in late May or early June this year, and added that the elections are organised for 800,000 citizens of Serbia members of national minorities.

He said that the elections will take place throughout the territory of the Republic of Serbia, in all 167 municipalities, in at least 9 languages, under two electoral systems.

Ciplic expressed gratitude for the economic, political and expert support from the OSCE, EU and others to the Serbian government in drafting the new Law on National Councils of National Minorities and the preparation of elections.

Head of the OSCE Mission in Serbia Dimitrios Kypreos said that the level of democratic development can be measured by the way a state treats its minorities, stressing that the OSCE endorses the Serbian government regarding these elections.

Head of the EU delegation to Serbia Ambassador Vincent Degert recalled that the EU pays a great deal of attention to the respect of human rights, adding that the process being implemented by the Serbian government is crucial for the improvement of minorities’ position, as well as for Serbia’s EU integration.

British Ambassador to Serbia Stephen John Wordsworth highlighted that the elections are an opportunity for the minorities to exercise their rights, noting the importance of pointing to the best candidates who will be their most suitable representatives.

He added that the elections will bring Serbia a step closer to the EU.

Representatives from the Serbian government, the OSCE, the EU delegation in Serbia, domestic and foreign NGOs and ambassadors made a joint appeal to minority representatives calling upon them to register and take part in the elections for national minorities’ councils.