Newsletter about ethnic minorities in Serbia

INTERVIEW

US DEPARTMENT OF STATE

INTERVIEW

Republic of Serbia is above an average European standard in regard to the minority rights

Discrimination of Roma population and social violence over minorities identified as a serious problem

If something is good for the Hungarians – it is not bad for the Serbs either

dr Suzana Paunović

dr Tamaš Korhec:

Minority News Nr 1 | APRIL/MAY 2013

Free monthly newsletter on the life of minority communities in Serbia

PRO ET CONTRA

“Vojvodina Declaration” has pointed out to an absence of a culture of a dialogue

RESEARCH Nevena Petrušić:

People are discriminated in our society

Pristina and Belgrade on the Way to Normalize their Relations

Historical Agreement for Peace, Prosperity, and Hope in the Balkans Special Insert

Jewish Community

Yossef Levy, the Ambassador of the State of Israel to Serbia

Minority News PROJECT

Yom HaShoah

April 8 – the World Roma Day

Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day

Education is the Best Way to Cure Anti-Semitism

Enhanced Communication, Coordination, and Cooperation

News from the Minority Communities

Our Appreciation of the Society We Live in is Diminishing Daily From the Hungarian Community

Katinka Beretka The councils for interethnic relations have not succeeded in their missions

From the Jewish Community

The Federation of Jewish Communities on the anti-Semite posters in downtown Belgrade

From the Bosniak Community

The Day of the Flag – an important holiday for the Bosniak Community

From the Slovenian Community

The electronic monthly newsletter Minority News has been launched in response to a growing need for a publication that will provide information and in-depth insight into the themes of relevance for the minority communities in Serbia. Every fifth citizen of our country is a member of a minority community, and this enriching diversity of Serbian society has to be appreciated and adequately addressed in the information sector as well.

It is a disconcerting fact that majority community and national minority communities know much less about each other than it was the case a few decades ago. Our fathers were much more familiar with their neighbors’ culture, tradition, and customs than we are today.

The Minority News Project aims at enhancing the general level of information on the issues both related to and of interest to the minority communities in Serbia. Not only is our objective to provide an adequate response to the information needs, but we also strive to incite the interest, particularly with those among us who still do not appreciate the prosperity in the Serbian society created by diverse cultures, art, history, creativity and vision of numerous national minority communities who live in our country.

Multicultural Serbia is both our reality and our perspective. Serbia therefore needs well developed mechanisms that will guarantee the preservation of the national identity to the national minority communities and ensure unimpeded development of their national cultures. A project, which will enhance communication, coordination and cooperation among the key stakeholders, can certainly contribute to creation of a favorable environment in this regard.

The Minority News staff is committed to the highest professional and ethical standards in the implementation of the Project. We will actively promote open and constructive dialogue between the institutions and the national minority communities, and advocate mutual respect, tolerance, and appreciation in the Serbian society as a whole. And every month the Minority News Newsletter will be a reminder to our readers of the enriching diversity we are all privileged to live in.

There are 30 national minority communities living in Serbia!

The concert of choir music by the Slovenian composers who have lived in Serbia

From the Slovak Community

The Slovak and Serbian Embassies in Beijing jointly present the works of naïve painters

www.minoritynews.rs

Everybody is welcome!

Minority News PROJECT

Enhanced Communication, Coordination, and Cooperation With the support by the Embassy of the United States of America and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, the Center for Migration Studies has launched the Minority News Project that aims at enhancing communication of relevance to the national minority communities. The Project, in addition to the issuance of a monthly electronic newsletter, also features a comprehensive and user-friendly Web Portal. The strategic objective of the Project is to improve the general level of information of the members of the minority communities, ensuring, at the same time, a higher level of information and understanding of minority issues by the general public in Serbia.

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s provided by the Law, national minority communities in Serbia are given a possibility of information in their mother tongues, and this is one of the key competencies vested in the national minority councils. Most of the national minority councils have exercised this right and provided regular and high quality information to their members through their printed or electronic media.

The aforementioned authority of the national minority councils is of highest importance. Not only does it provide accurate and timely information on the minorities’ rights and possibilities, but it also ensures the preservation of the language, culture, and the overall identity of the members of the minority communities in Serbia.

With this in mind, the Center for Migration Studies has looked into the various information possibilities available to the members of the national minority communities and identified the need for a creation of a common channel of information that would target not only the minority communities, but also the general public interested in the minority issues in Serbia.

“For a long time, we have worked on the creation of a comprehensive media outlet specialized in the contents of interest to the members of the national minority communities, as we have determined that they share the need for similar types of information”, Biljana Jovic, the Minority News Project Leader and the Editor-in-Chief, and the Chairperson of the Center for Migration Studies, said.

“The national minority councils are particularly interested in specific information that has a direct impact on the life of the minority communities – such as the information on how to exercise the rights provided by the Law, or the information on education in their mother tongue. General news is available through mass media outlets, which, due to the structure of the broad target audience and commercial orientation, address the issues of importance to the minorities in a very limited way”, she added.

“The Project is very complex and demanding, as it re-

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quires daily intensive interaction and communication with the representatives of all 19 national minority councils, with the Office of Human and Minority Rights, the OSCE Mission, and other Serbian and international stakeholders”, Iva Juric, the Project Coordinator, noted.

The Project consists of two important components: 1. Issuance of a monthly newsletter and creation of a comprehensive Web Portal; 2. Organization of four round tables in order to discuss the most important issues for the national minorities and facilitate the cooperation among individual national minority councils and their exchange of ideas and experiences; The Project’s Program Board, consisting of the representatives of the national minority councils, shall identify the issues of highest priority for the minority communities in order to have them adequately addressed in all segments of the implementation of the Project. The Program Board shall provide guidance to ensure the Project is embraced and seen as relevant by the members of minority communities in Serbia.

“In addition to the informative component, the Project also has an important educational part. In the current situation, there is not much knowledge in the Serbian society in general about the problems that members of minority communities face. The general level of information on these issues is considerably lower than it was the case several decades ago. To this end, the Project will pay particular attention to providing its audiences with the information, which might have been generally known by the Serbian public many years ago”, the Minority News Editor, Sveta Matic said.

“Through the Minority News, the minority communities that live in Serbia will be able to present their culture, art, and identity, as well as their ideas, positions, concerns, and visions”, Matic added.

You can register to receive the Minority News Newsletter on the following web page: www.minoritynews.rs.

Minority News

INTERVIEW Dr Suzana Paunović, Director of the Office of Human and Minority Rights

Republic of Serbia Is Above an Average European Standard in Regard to the Minority Rights

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r Suzana Paunović has been recently appointed to the position of the Director of the Office of Human and Minority Rights after she had worked in this field for many years. In addition to the scientific work in this specific part of the law, SuzanaPaunovic has acquired extensive practical experience serving in the senior positions in the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, where she ran a number of different departments for over eight years, and also served as the Assistant Minister from 2008 to 2012.

The area of minority rights is more advanced nowadays that it was the case a few years ago. Whereas a number of important system and specific laws and regulations in regard to the protection of minority rights in the Republic of Serbia have been ratified, there is still space for more thorough implementation of this legislation and enhancement of the position of the minority communities.

For the first time, there are nineteen national minority councils in Serbia and all institutional prerequisites are in place to define and implement the minority policy with active participation of the representatives of the national

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Biography Suzana Paunović was born in Uzice in 1969. After she had graduated from the Law Faculty in Belgrade, she was licensed in 2000, and acquired PhD degree in 2012. She has worked in the social welfare sector since 1995 and in the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare since 1997.

In the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare she was in charge of the departments dealing with family legal protection matters (adoptions, fostering) as well as with social welfare issues (supervision).

Since 2001, she has participated actively in the creation and implementation of the reforms of the social welfare system.

From 2009 to 2012 she served as an Assistant Minister of Labour and Social Policy.

In 2012, the Serbian Association of the Social Workers awarded her with the first Republic Award for Contribution to the Social Welfare in Serbia.

Minority News

INTERVIEW The established dialogue between the Office of Human and Minority Rights and the National Minority Councils is constantly enhanced minorities.

However, there are still certain problems and expectations, particularly among the members of the national minorities. It is believed that the priority of the state administration in the coming period should be implementation and enhancement of the existing legislation and that additional efforts should be made to secure supplementary funding for the work of the National Minority Councils.

The first moves the Director has made have shown that the Office of Human and Minority Rights will, during her tour of duty, have a proactive approach towards the National Minority Councils and will not hesitate to address difficult issues and problems at hand. The first Conference that openly tackled the relations between the National Minority Councils and the state institutions was organized in March, whereas the working session on the national minority media in Serbia took place in April.

The Director of the Office of Human and Minority Rights speaks for the Minority News on the Office’s competencies, the current situation and perspectives of the minority policy and practices, and on the problems and possible solutions in regard to the minority communities in Serbia.

MN: After a few months in this position, you have already had several meetings with representatives of all National Minority Councils. Can you share with us your impressions and your thoughts on the future developments of relations between the Office and the National Minority Councils?

Dr Paunović: The Office of Human and Minority Rights has established good cooperation with all National Minority Councils. Both the Office and the National Minority Councils are pleased by the constructive tone of and continuity of this cooperation.

Building a relationship of partnership between the National Minority Councils, the Government’s Office of Human and Minority Rights and relevant Ministries should contribute to the creation and implementation of the minority policy in the areas where the National Minority Councils exercise their competencies – i.e. education, culture, information and official use of languages and alphabets. The established dialogue between the Office of Human and Minority Rights is

Building a relationship of partnership between the National Minority Councils, the Government’s Office of Human and Minority Rights and relevant Ministries should contribute to the creation and implementation of the minority policy being enhanced every day, and its substantive deepening shall eventually enhance the exercise of the rights of the national minorities and result in meeting the strategic objective of integration of the national minorities in all spheres of social life.

MN: How do you assess the current situation in regard to the minority issues in Serbia?

Dr Paunović: The Constitutional and other legislative framework, as well as the institutional framework for the protection, exercise, and enhancement of the national minority rights, which has been developed for the last ten years, bring Serbia above an average European standard in this area. The aforementioned has been recognized in the findings of numerous international monitoring organizations, with a remark that the minority policy practices have been marked with a partial implementation of a number of legal provisions that regulate the ways the national minorities can exercise their rights. The Office of Human and Minority Rights, as the Government institution, has identified this as the priority issue in regard to the position of the national minorities and directed its activities towards reaching this goal. To this end, the Office organized the Conference Ways to Upgrade the Cooperation between the State

The Office of Human and Minority Rights has established good cooperation with all National Minority Councils

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Minority News

INTERVIEW The Office of Human and Minority Rights has no jurisdiction over legislative sphere of the human and minority rights Institutions and the National Minority Councils. In a life that are critically important for the protection and deconstructive dialogue, the representatives of the velopment of their identity. Constitution of the National National Minority Councils and relevant Ministries Councils of the National Minorities marked a beginning agreed on the future activities that would contribute to of a long process, with every step forward contributing efficient solutions to the issues at hand in the areas of substantively to the enhancement of their overall posiculture, education, information, and official use of tion. Gradually, the National Councils of the National Milanguages and alphabets. norities have been recognized as a reliable partner by the MN. Is it accurate to say that the present situation is state, provincial and local self-government structures. much better than it was the case a few years ago, and The Constitution ratified in 2006 has provided guaranhow far are we from the situation that members of the tees for the Constitutional right of the members of the national minorities would describe as fully satisfactory? minority communities, and the Law on the National Dr Paunović: Presently, there are 19 National Minority Councils of the National Minorities of 2009 substantively Councils in the Republic of Serbia that have a developed expanded their competencies.

MN: How do you assess the role of network of national institutions and orinternational organizations dealing ganizations and they are active particiAs the Government pants in the social life of the country in institution, the Office of with minority rights in our country?

Dr Paunović: The Office of Human and all levels of power.

Human and Minority Minority Rights cooperates with all Until now, a lot has been done to Rights has no improve the position of the national competencies in regard to relevant institutions in the Republic of minorities in the Republic of Serbia. the legislative aspect in the Serbia that deal with national minority rights. I will mention only few of them: Since 200, a new policy has been formufield of human and the OSCE Mission, which provides lated and implemented in our country. minority rights expert assistance and advice in regard One of the key elements of this policy, with integration of national minorities in the social and to the strengthening of the democratic institutions, fopolitical life of the country with protection of their na- cusing particularly on the rule of law, human rights, tional identity as its quintessence, has been legal formu- media, and the implementation of the law, the Office of lation and regulation of the cultural autonomy of the the Council of Europe, which provides support in meeting national minorities. The cultural autonomy of the na- the obligations arising from Serbia’s membership in this tional minorities has required that top national minority international organization, the Delegation of the organizations be created, which would represent the re- European Union in the Republic of Serbia, which, among spective national minorities in their interaction with the other activities, monitors the situation in regard to the state in the social life areas of interest for the national human and minority rights from the perspective of the minorities. After the Law on the Protection of Rights and accession to the EU. The cooperation with the aforemenFreedoms of the National Minorities had been ratified in tioned international organizations is also carried out in 2002, the institutional prospects were created to the implementation of numerous joint projects in the members of the national minorities to elect their na- Republic of Serbia. The Office of Human and Minority tional minority councils as principal subjects of local self- Rights has also cooperated successfully in joint project government in the areas of culture, education, implementation with a number of diplomatic missions information, and official use of languages and alphabets. in Belgrade, such as the Embassy of Great Britain, the This was an important step forward for the promotion Embassy of Norway, and the Netherlands Embassy. and development of the position of the national minori- MN: In light of the announced amendments of the Law ties, democratic affirmation of their national identities, on National Minority Councils, do you think that they and articulation of their interests in the areas of the social will vest additional competencies in the National Mi-

I believe that we must be very careful in regard to the extraordinary census of the Albanian national minority population

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Minority News

INTERVIEW In addition to other criteria, the disbursement of 2013 Budget funds has been carried out based on the registered number of the national minority population nority Councils or restrict the existing ones?

Dr Paunović: As the Government institution, the Office of Human and Minority Rights has no competencies in regard to the legislative aspect in the field of human and minority rights. The authority in this regard is vested in the Ministry of Justice and Public Administration. This Ministry has taken over a part of the human and minority rights portfolio from the old Directorate, which includes the registry maintenance, elections for national minority councils, and preparation of the human and minority rights legislation.

The ministry has formed a working group that will prepare draft amendments to the 2009 Law on National Minority Councils by looking into the existing solutions and suggesting changes that are to be made. I suppose that new solutions will focus on clearer and more precise definition of the issues of interest to the national minorities, which have, thus far, created ambiguities in the implementation of the Law. The Office of Human and Minority Rights proposed that representatives of the National Minority Councils be included in the Working Group and this initiative has been accepted. Furthermore, the Office also delegated members of its staff who can contribute to the enhancement of this legislation.

MN: The competencies of your office are not well known among the minority communities and the majority community alike, and, as a consequence, you daily receive many requests that are under your jurisdiction. Can you specify exactly what your competencies are and who can, and under which circumstances, address your office for help?

Dr. Paunović: After the new Government had been formed in July of 2012, it issued the Decision on August 2, 2012 creating the Office of Human and Minority Rights and defining its jurisdiction, structure and other issues of relevance for its work. In line with the Decision, the Office carries out expert work for the Government and the relevant ministries in regard to the protection and enhancement of human and minority rights, monitoring

of harmonization of the national legislation with the international treaties and other international acts on human and minority rights, initiating amendments to the national legislation, general issues in regard to the position of the members of the national minorities, monitoring of the position of the members of the national minorities who live in the territory of the Republic of Serbia and implementation of the their rights, and contacts between the national minorities and their nation states. Based on the aforementioned jurisdiction, the Office is occasionally approached, in addition to institutions of the executive and legislative power, by the individuals seeking advice in regard to the human and minority rights issues. The Office tries to provide adequate and timely reply to all those who request such an assistance in writing, and it also refers them to the institutions that may be of help in solving the issue at hand.

MN: In regard to the problem related to the census of the Albanian minority in South Serbia, can you tell us how feasible it is to organize a by-census for the members of the Albanian national minority only?

Dr. Paunović: The Office of Human and Minority Rights is aware of the ideas that a by-census should be organized for the members of the Albanian national minority because of the boycott of the 2011 general census of the population. I believe that we have to be very careful in regard to the by-census of the members the Albanian national minority, as it may cause negative reactions by the members of other national minorities, who could, for a number of different reasons, ask for the same, which will only create additional problems. One should keep in mind that the 2011 general census was carried out fully in line with the Law and the international standards. The question of the number of the members of the Albanian national minority is most likely actualized with the disbursement of the funds from the Budget of the Republic of Serbia earmarked for the work of the national minority councils and paid through the Office of Human and Minority Rights. As provided by the Law on

The Conference participants agreed to have monthly working sessions focusing each time on one of the competencies vested in the National Minority Councils

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Minority News

INTERVIEW The European Commission Report noted significant progress in meeting the human and minority rights criteria the National Minority Councils, the funds earmarked in the Budget of the Republic of Serbia for this purpose are disbursed according to the following formula: 30% of the overall amount is distributed equally to all registered national minority councils in the Republic of Serbia, whereas the remaining 70% are distributed based on the number of the members of the national minority represented by the Council, and on the total number of institutions of the national minority in the areas of culture, education, information, and the official use of language and alphabet. Bearing in mind that funds for the fiscal year 2013 have already been disbursed based, among other thing, on the number of members of the national minority represented by the Council as registered in the 2011 census, when only 5000 members of the Albanian minority were recorded, the aforementioned fact had a consequence in a lower amount of funds earmarked to the National Minority Council compared to the funds disbursed in 2012. The Office of Human and Minority Rights has established good cooperation with all National Minority Council, including the National Minority Council of Albanian national minority, and the earmarked Budget funds for its work are regularly disbursed to the Council.

MN: You have recently organized a conference that brought together representatives of nearly all National Minority Councils, as well as the representatives of the international organizations and minority rights experts.

What were the main conclusions made in the conference and what do you see as the most useful outcome for your Office?

Dr Paunović: On March 28, 2013, the Office of Human and Minority Rights and the Coordination of the National Minority Councils in the Republic of Serbia jointly organized a conference on the ways to enhance the cooperation between the state institutions and the National Minority Councils. The representatives of nearly all National Minority Councils and the state institutions having jurisdiction in culture, education, information, and the official use of languages and alphabets portfolios took part in the conference. It was concluded that this was a good method to address the issues the National Minority Councils are interested in a more efficient way and the participants agreed to have monthly working

THE PROPOSED CONCLUSIONS OF THE CONFERENCE “The Ways to Enhance Cooperation between the State Institutions and the National Minority Councils” organized in Belgrade on March 28, 2013.

1. To prepare the compendium of documents with problems identified during the conference and forward it to the Office of Human and Minority Rights and the relevant ministrieswithin 15 days (NMCs Coordination); 2. To organize working sessions focusing each time on one of the competencies vested in the National Minority Councils on monthly basis, with participation of the NMCs Coordination, the Office of Human and Minority Rights, and the representatives of relevant ministries.

During these sessions, the participants shall set the timelines for the resolution of the problems.

3. To organize working sessions focusing on the competencies vested in the National Minority Councils every month; 4. To introduce the measurability and verification system; 5. To organize another conference in the same format with participation of the relevant Ministers after the series of working sessions to look into achieved results between the two conferences; 6. To include the National Minority Councils in the preparation of the legislation; 7. To include a representative of the National Minority Councils in the working group for the Draft Amendments to the Law on National Minority Councils (the Coordination has already constituted the task force in this regard); 8. To initiate the constitution of the National Minority Committee of the Republic of Serbia; The general conclusion is that the existing legislation must be implemented, that the communication must be enhanced, and that focus must be put on the essence of the problem.

The Coordination of the National Minority Councils Borče Veličkovski Chairman

There is no doubt that identified problems can be resolved faster if all the stakeholders have permanent and open communication

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Minority News

INTERVIEW The Office of Human and Minority Rights, in line with its jurisdiction, follows closely harmonization of the domestic legislation with the international treaties and other international bills sessions focusing each time on one of the competencies vested in the National Minority Councils in order to identify problems and set the timelines to have them resolved. We have also made a plan to organize another conference in the same formatafter the aforementioned series of working sessions to look into achieved results in tackling the issues of concern identified in the previous period. On April 26, 2013, we had the first working session “In the Eve of the New Media Laws”, with the outline of the draft Law on Public Information presented to the National Minority Councils. We also looked into the problems at hand in regard to the information of the national minorities and made specific suggestions on the ways to overcome these problems.

MN: What are the main issues the Office will intensively look into in the coming period?

Dr Paunović: Bearing in mind that the legislative framework has been assessed as satisfactory and that problems arise in the implementation of the minority rights regulations, we intend to intensify the activities of the Office in this regard. As I have already noted, the first steps have been made by organizing joint conferences and working session of the representatives of the National Minority Councils and the state institutions having jurisdiction over education, culture, information, and official use of languages and alphabets. We are trying to identify the main reasons for the situation at hand and then come up with proposals on how to overcome the problems we have detected. If it is found that the legislative framework is the main obstacle in exercising a minority right, the Office will look into the issue on an expert level and initiate an appropriate change with the ministry having jurisdiction over that particular portfolio.

MN: Your Office has recently been visited by the European Commission representatives. What are your impressions about the visit? Has Serbia met the main conditions of the European Union in regard to the minority rights?

Dr Paunović:The European Commission Report noted significant progress in meeting the human and minority rights criteria. As part of the EU accession procedures in regard to setting the date for the start of the membership

negotiations between the Republic of Serbia and the European Union, the representatives of the Delegation of the European Union in the Republic of Serbia paid a visit to the Office of Human and Minority Rights in order to acquire additional information on the position of the national minorities, which will be included in the Progress Report. The representatives of the Delegation of the EU received answers to all questions in regard to the position of some national minorities as well as in regard to the activities taken in order to comply with the recommendations made by the European Commission. The talks were open and constructive with full acknowledgment of all activities and measures undertaken by our country in this regard.

MN: In light of the high expectations that the representatives of the national minorities have of you as of a newly appointed official, what are your personal expectations for this year in regard to the cooperation with the national minorities?

Dr Paunović: A genuine commitment to the job, intensified cooperation and enhanced communicationrepresent a solid basis and also a challenge for efficient and effective performance of the tasks entrusted to us. I believe that it is positive to have mutually high expectations in regard to the cooperation between the Office of the Human and Minority Rights as the institution of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the National Minority Councils as the principal local self-government bodies in the fields of education, culture, information and the official use of languages and alphabets. It is the first step, but it is not sufficient. I believe that the overall enhancement of the situation in regard to the minority rights can only be achieved in a direct dialogue and permanent communication between the state institutions and the representatives of the National Minority Councils.

MN: What are your priority objectives for this year?

Dr Paunović: In the overall assessment of the human and minority rights issues, the Office of Human and Minority Rightsstrives to pay due attention to all segments of this portfolio. To this end, there are no priority objectives, there are areas that need to be tackled and improved based on the current situation. Perceiving its mission in

The European Commission Report noted significant progress in meeting the human and minority rights criteria

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Minority News

INTERVIEW The Office participates in the implementation IPA 2011, and it is expected that the implementation of the IPA 2012 projects supported by the EU funding is about to start soon the aforementioned way, the Office has the principal role in the preparation of strategic documents, such as the Anti-Discrimination Strategy and the Action Plan for its implementation, the Action Plan for the Implementation of the Strategy to Improve the Position of Roma in the Republic of Serbia for the Period 2012-1014, etc. A major part of the activities of the Office includes the participation in the task force teams for preparation of draft amendments to the human and minority rights legislation, as well as the coordination work with the joint interstate bodies created based on the bilateral national minority protection agreements signed with the neighbouring countries. Bearing in mind that the Republic of Serbia is a signatory of the most important international multilateral treaties in the area of human and minority rights, the Office prepares the reports on the implementation of the responsibilities arising from these treaties.

In regard to the minority rights, the Office prepared the Third Interim Report on the Implementation of the Charter Convention on the Protection of National Minorities, while the Third Interim Report on the Implementation of the European Charter on Regional or Minority Languages should be prepared by the end of the year.

The Office also participates in the implementation of the IPA 2011, and it is expected that the implementation of the IPA 2012 projects supported by the EU funding is about to start soon. We will work on the further \development of the rights of the LGBT population and other socially marginalized groups. With the support of the British and Dutch embassies, we will continue with

the internship program for theyoung members of the national minorities in Serbia.

NM: Do you believe that the intensified and more open communication between the stakeholders could contribute to more efficient resolving of the problems and do you think that there is space for better coordination and communication?

Dr Paunović: There is no doubt that identified problems can be resolved faster if all the stakeholders have permanent and open communication. The Office of Human and Minority Rightsstrives to bring together all stakeholders who can contribute to the enhanced exercise of national minority rights and to find the best solutions in a direct dialogue. There is always space for better communication and coordination and we, as the Office of Human Minority Rights, try to support all proposals and initiatives in this regard.

NM: Does the Office plan to launch some legislative initiative in regard to the position of the national minorities?

Dr Paunović: The Office of Human and Minority Rights, in line with its jurisdiction, follows closely harmonization And Urges the Republic institutions to enhance the level of respect of legal procedures, as guaranteed rights and responsibilities, in close cooperation with the Provincial administrations and representatives of the local self-governments, strengthening, at the same time, the mutual cooperation between the all aforementioned stakeholders.

Zoran Stanković, the President of the Coordination Body for Preševo, Bujanovac and Medvedja

An Extraordinary Census of the Population in South Serbia Might Take Place The President of the Coordination Body for Preševo, Bujanovac, and Medvedja, Zoran Stanković, said that it is possible that the census of the population in the three municipalities be carried out again in October or November in order to have accurate information on the number of the population in this region.

“We will try to repeat the census”, Stanković said, reminding that the

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Albanians in South Serbia boycotted the population count in the country.

There were only 3,800 people registered in Preševo, while there are 9,500 individuals registered by the National Employment Service. It is estimated that there are around 35,000 people living in the Preševo Municipality.

Zoran Stanković also said that there are between 30,000 and 40,000

people living in Bujanovac, and between 10,000 and 15,000 living in Medvedja.

Stanković noted that there are around 13,500 individuals from Preševo, 12,500 from Bujanovac, and a few thousands from Medvedja currently in the EU countries, which makes the accurate population count even more difficult.

Minority News

CONTRA

PRO et SERBIA

REACTIONS TO “VOJVODINA DECLARATION” HAVE SHOWN THE SERIOUS ABSENCE OF THE DIALOGUE CULTURE sveta@minoritynews.rs

It was the political elites who have created the dilemma in the public by resorting to series of offensive qualifications and mutual accusations instead of presenting solid arguments. The case of “Vojvodina Declaration” has stormed the society as a whole and dramatically increased the tensions. In the absence of a constructive debate supported by solid arguments, the environment that has been created does not leave any space for tolerance and respect to different positions.

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orceful reactions, sensationalism, intolerance Republic officials interpreted the initiative for the draft and blundering interpretations of theDraft in the aforementioned way, which hinted the public as a Declaration on the Protection of the Constitu- whole and those who subsequently commented it what tional and Legal Rights of the Autonomous Province of the overall tone and the dominant public position should Vojvodina have shown that any be. Regardless of the fact that this While one party claimed that the serious debate on the relations was a draft document that was yet Declaration will protect the within Serbia will have to be to be looked into by the Vojvodina legitimate rights of the citizens postponed for some better times.

Assembly, an impression was creand mend the injustice, the The noise is too strong now for the ated that most of the parliamentary others insisted that it is harmful voice of reason and clear parties felt it was high time they had and dangerous for the state and arguments by the opposite camps dealt with Pajtić. On the other hand, the interests of its citizens, to be heard. This does not mean it seemed that Pajtić decided that it particularly at the moment the that many among the political elite decision is being made on the was high time the draft document have refrained themselves from status of the Province that once had been given to the Vojvodina Ascommenting the issue at hand. had the same status as Vojvodina sembly for endorsement, thus provThey have made their comments, ing that this was not his private has today in the principle, whether in project. support of or against the Declaration, but without any appreciation of the positions of the “other camp”. Is the Problem in the Bad Timing Only?

Almost all political leaders, both on the national and Certainly not, but the timing served as an additional arprovincial level, have expressed their views on the Draft gument to critics who believe that, at the moment Serbia Declaration, with critical positions, individual party is in the middle of negotiation on the future of Kosovo, interests and disqualifications absolutely dominating the no other issues should be brought to the table, particularly not those that may create an impression that media commentaries.

Bojan Pajtić “Breaks Up” Serbia another Serbian Province, too, has complaints about the Although the Vojvodina Government formally sent the treatment by the Serbian state. document to the Vojvodina Assembly for endorsement, Differences that Are as Deep and as Wide as the Danube it was BojanPajtić, the Prime Minister of the Vojvodina It soon became clear that there are unbridgeable Government, who was the primary target of the fiercest differences in the perception of the moves the Vojvodina criticism. Majority of those who publicly Government made. Not only were the positions grouped criticize the Draft Declaration believe that Pajtić is solely around the two extremely different poles, but this responsible for the Draft, thus creating an impression in process was also marked by passionate confrontations. the public that the Declaration is his private project that One camp believes that the text of the Draft Declaration should create a political smokescreen for possible per- is in full compliance with the Constitution and the Laws sonal liability. In their initial statements, high of the Republic of Serbia, and that the Province has a

The critics do not even look into the problem addressed by the document, they believe that it is motivated by bad intentions, i.e. personal or party interest, or even pro-independence agenda

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Minority News

CONTRA

PRO et SERBIA

Reactions to the text of the declaration were brought to the public attention by a number of different methods, from the special press conferences, through the statements issued by the institutions and political parties, to organization of rallies and street graffiti. commitment to protect the interests of its citizens. To this end, the Draft Declaration pinpoints the issue that has existed for a while, which is described as the breach of the Constitution and other Laws of the Republic of Serbia in the segment of the rights of the Autonomous Province and the obligations of the Republic in this regard. The other camp believes that the Draft Declarationis unconstitutional, secessionist, separatist, and brought up at the difficult time for the country as a whole. The critics do not even look into the problem addressed by the document, they believe that it is motivated by bad intentions, i.e. personal or party interest, or even proindependence agenda.

ments issued by the institutions and political parties, to organization of rallies and street graffiti.

Given the split created around the Declaration, the methods different parties used to express their disagreement became increasingly vicious and reached their climax in death threats sent to the Vojvodina PM by the “war veterans”.

(Lack of) Political Culture in Serbia Although it was primarily perceived as a political problem, the “Declaration Case” showed that there is still absence of a dialogue culture in our society, which is, most likely, one of the most serious problems the authorities face on all levels. At the time Serbia is in the middle of The Constitutional Right or the Breach of the the reform process, many solutions could have been Constitution? more sustainable if they had been reached through a diWhile one party claimed that the Declaration will protect alogue. The lack of culture of presenting one’s arguthe legitimate rights of the citizens ments, using appropriate channels It is likely that the state is and mend the injustice, the others and methods to communicate, and currently not in the position to insisted that it is harmful and investing additional efforts to edumeet its Constitutional dangerous for the state and the incate the public can cost our society obligations to the Province, and terests of its citizens, particularly at many missed opportunities and ultithe financial obligations in the moment the decision is being mately result in unsuccessful reparticular made on the status of the Province forms. Hasty and vicious reactions, that once had the same status as Vojvodina has today. without an in-depth analysis of a problem and its causes, Such an analogy was immediately rejected by the part of in addition to jumping into conclusions based on limited the public and the Vojvodina leadership, but it had al- or unconfirmed information and without an open diaready been launched and broadly accepted by the public logue are typical for a society with low level of political majority. and communicational culture.

It is likely that the state is currently unable to meet its Public debates and expressions of positions on the draft Constitutional obligations to the Province, and the declaration have left the boundaries set by the Constitufinancial obligations in particular. On the other hand, the tion and the Law, and the communication and the politiprovincial leadership are criticized for not being cal culture has once again limited the political actions and forthcoming in regard to the dialogue with the Republic social dialogue. This has shown again that, regardless of authorities and for resorting to one-sided moves that had the success the country has made in many areas, the tolheightened tensions as a consequence. While one camp erance threshold is still very low, whereas the sensibility saw the slating of the parliamentary debate on the is extremely high. provincial level as a proof that it is against the national interests, the others found that this date was irrelevant There is No Democracy without Freedom A state as a complex system sets strict boundaries and and therefore decided to postpone it.

Reactions to the text of the Declaration were brought to red lines by its Constitution and other legislation. A demthe public attention by a number of different methods, ocratic state also has solid and uncompromising rules and from the special press conferences, through the state- clear boundaries, but there is life going on, with freedom

At the time Serbia is in the middle of the reform process, many solutions could have been easier to reach and would have been more sustainable if they had been reached through a dialogue

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Minority News

CONTRA

PRO et SERBIA

A democratic state also has solid and uncompromising rules and clear boundaries, but there is life going on, with freedom and blooming culture within these boundaries and blooming culture within these boundaries. and showed no ambition to present facts to their audiWhenever a force, whether it is verbal or physical, med- ences. Although there were no lies published, the media dles into a creation of culture and a continuous estab- did not disclose all facts to the public, which can somelishment of sustainable adaptable matrixes of social times result in graver consequences that giving a straight actions, it threatens the freedom, the individual, the so- lie. ciety, and the state. Only the society that condemns vio- As it is the case in many other situations, the citizens relence can protect an individual. Such a society strives to ceived all information predominantly from the stateimpose the culture of respect of the differences and tol- ments by the political leaders, which were uncritically erance and thus creates a matrix that enables a dialogue given as factual. A few citizens expressed their readiness on any issue. A state dominated by fear, where people to defend or attack the Declaration at any cost, since they cannot express their opinions freely, can never be dem- believed that “it mends the injustice made to the citizens ocratic and its citizens can never be free. The Declaration of Vojvodina” or “it is a prologue to Vojvodina sepaon the Protection of Constitutional and Legal Rights of ratism”. The control function of media is frequently tothe Autonomous Province of Vojvodina tally disregarded in our society. In the A state as a complex has provoked the reactions that indicate societies with a low level of political culsystem sets strict a low level of political culture and democture and communication, media outlets boundaries and red lines racy in Serbia. There are no winners in the only serve as a loudspeaker rather than by its Constitution and as serious filter to the hate speech, verpublic debate on the Draft Declaration, other legislation and those who have lost the most are the bal violence and stupidity. citizens.

A New Beginning Instead of an End The Media – the Pillar of Shame or the Pillar of Democracy No matter what we personally think about the DeclaraAlthough the key objective of the media shouldbe to in- tion, it is surely an issue that will attract a lot of attention crease the level of information in the society, regrettably, in the future, particularly among the members of the mia few media outlets often add up to the overall confusion nority communities who live in Vojvodina and who look and creation of unbridgeable differences in the society. at the issue from their own perspective. If there is anyIn the case of the “Vojvodina Declaration”, the media cre- thing good about the whole case, it is an experience we ated the atmosphere that opened space for direct and should all learn from and a lesson that it is necessary to vicious clash of a number of social groups, cheering in- create a favourable environment first if we strive to have flammatory statements and quoting them in drawing an efficient and successful debate on any issue. This is the starting point for establishment of genuine tolerance mostly flawed conclusions.

With no attempts to publish the text of the Draft Decla- and freedom in any society, whereas the Constitution, ration, or at least some of its parts or summarized re- the Laws, and the Declarations on their own are only views, media focused on the statements by the officials hard boundaries of an empty space.

Vojvodina Assembly Endorses the Declaration on Protection of Constitutional and Legal Rights of the Province On Monday, May 20, 2013, the Vojvodina Assembly endorsed the Declaration on Protection of Constitutional and Legal Rights of the Province with 71 votes FOR and 21 votes AGAINST. The Declaration, among other points, notes the “multiple breaches of the Constitutional principles and legal regulations in regard to the rights and jurisdiction of the bodies and the institutions in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina”.

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The Declaration includes the five amendments of the Union of Vojvodina Hungarians and one amendment of the League of the Social-democrats of Vojvodina, changing the point two of the draft to read “autonomy of Vojvodina is a historical and natural right of its citizens, as it was created and confirmed by the will of the Vojvodina nations in the Assembly of the Deputies of the Nations of Vojvodinain Novi Sad July 30-31, 1945, when they unanimously decided that Vojvodina, as an Autonomous Province, should accede to Serbia.”

Minority News

CONTRA

PRO et SERBIA

A Constitutionally Guaranteed Right vs. Separatism In order to illustrate the public debate on the Draft Declaration on Protection of Constitutional and Legal Rights of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodine, we have selected a few short statements made by the key political stakeholders President of the Vojvodina Executive Council, BojanPajtić n n

n

n

n

n

Majority of the citizens can clearly see that these rights are daily ignored and violated.

This directly affects the interests of the citizens of Vojvodina. The previously acquired rights are n also being violated, which is unprecedented in the modern European practice.

The Declaration will send a serious warning that disrespect of the principles of autonomy, consti n tutional and legal solutions, weakens the state, the rule of law, and the European democratic practice. This endangers the stability and normal functioning of a responsible state.

The present Republic Government must find n strength to deal with the burden of a disastrous policy in Kosovo in the nineties and must find strength to make difficult, but far-reaching decisions.

Vojvodina must not be a training ground for n anger and frustrations over forced and unpopular political decisions. The Assembly of Vojvodina will not agree to have Vojvodina and the rights of its citizens be reduced to a loose form, such as a non-governmental organization,

or a fishermen’s or hunters’ club.

At the same time, Vojvodina gives full support to the Republic Government in clear commitment to the European future of Serbia, predominantly because of the fact that there is a good custom in Europe to protect the interests and rights of the citizens as well as to respect the constitutional and legal norms.

The framework for the earmarked funds for the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina has been recently changed contrary to the Constitutional guarantees.

The Republic Government has, based on an unconstitutional decision and without any consultations with the Provincial institutions, started using the Provincial assets in an uncon stitutional way.

The Vojvodina Government’s request to enable the representatives of the Province to participate in the ownership and management structures of the Novi Sad Fair, as clearly provided by the Law on Vojvodina Competencies, was fully ignored.

The right to appoint the Director of the Provincial Health and Social Policy Fund has also been usurped, contrary to the earlier initiative based on the law and unquestionable right of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.

On the other hand, the Declaration represents a political pamphlet, both in regard to its format and its contents. Looking for a motif for channelling such a document into the parliamentary procedure, we have discovered that there is an intention to use it as a poI see the Declaration as a document with a separatist litical pressure on the central authorities. I do not see note. One indication in this regard is that it has been this as a positive move, and I do not think it is legitiproposed at a very difficult political moment for Serbia mate either. Without any intention to sound pathetic, when the negotiations on the protection of our citi- I believe that there are moments when state and nazens in Kosovo and Metohia are close to completion. tional interests should be seen as a higher priority.

Deputy President of the Serbian Progressive Party, Igor Mirović

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Minority News

CONTRA

PRO et SERBIA First Deputy Prime Minister of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić n

n

n

n

This has been done in a wrong way and at a wrong time, and it has caused a major damage to the state of Serbia.

The citizens of Vojvodina do not need protection from Serbia, they need protection from those who run Vojvodina in a poor way. The highest un employment rate is in Vojvodina. The people who live in Vojvodina are hard-working, but the incompetent provincial government has destroyed everything that existed in Vojvodina.

Pajtić’s statement is very dangerous, but it will have no impact whatsoever, as neither him or his party are important today.

It would have been both therapeutic and beneficial to have by elections in Vojvodina, as one can not govern successfully without any legitimacy.

President of the Republic of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolić

n

n n

n

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Speaker of AP Vojvodina Assembly, Ištvan Pastor n

n

Member of the Parliament, the Chairman of Constitutional Rights Committee, Bojan Kostreš n

BojanPajtić is trying to make up a problem in a situation where there are no problems whatsoever.

No man is strong or powerful enough to harm the interests of Serbia.

If Mr.Pajtić has other problems, these are not the problems of Serbia and its Autonomous Province.

If he believes that this is the way to defend him of something that is being brewing around him, then… I think there is enough evidence even now that things have not been done in line with the law under his rule.

If he is so confident, let him slate a referendum, let him resign and try his legitimacy in elections, and we will see who will win.

I am appealing and I am kindly asking the Provincial Government to give up on the idea to have the document discussed in the next session of the Assembly of Vojvodina. This is the only way to create conditions for compromise and for enhancement of the document, to bring down the walls of distrust. I am also appealing that we do not search for solutions in the streets, as we all know that the consequences of the all-popular rallies can be extremely painful and long-term. We must bring the issue back to the institutions.

How can it be possible that we are going through this in 2013? How can it be possible that, no matter how problematic the Declaration could be, an atmosphere of lynch is created by posters, social networks and newspaper headlines? How can it be possible that once again we can hear about ustashas, secession, and separatism? I hope this will not be the case every time the issue of Vojvodina rights is addressed.

n

I am concerned over a thesis of separatism in Vojvodina. If there is separatism here, then the Government of the Republic of Serbia should instantly send the police and arrest all separatists.

The talks about separatism are just an excuse for a political performance, which should lead to the extraordinary elections in Vojvodina.

Member of the Parliament, Member of the Constitutional Rights Committee, Borislav Stefanović n

There is no “S” of separatism in this case, there is not a single element of internationalization nor any attempt to break up Serbia.

Minority News

Document Draft Declaration of the Protection of the Constitutional and Legal Rights of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina A democra!c society must respect the specificsof a historical, na!onal, cultural, religious, and poli!cal pluralism. In such a society, there is a natural presence of autonomy, which enables that, without threatening the rights of the others, one can respect the feeling of special belonging to one’s na!on as well to one’s regional en!ty.

With this in mind, the autonomy of Vojvodina is a historical and natural right of its ci!zens, as it was created and confirmed by the will of its na!ons in the Assembly of the Representa!ves of the Na!ons of Vojvodina in Novi Sad on July 30-31, 1945, when they unanimously decided that Vojvodina, as an autonomous province, should accede to Serbia.

To this end, the autonomy of Vojvodina has been granted by the Cons!tu!on of the Republic of Serbia, as regulated and guaranteed right to diversity, which also includes the decentraliza!on of power, division of competencies and independent management of affairs of interest to the citizens of the Province. The Cons!tu!on of Serbia provides that transfer of competencies between the central government and the autonomous provinces is based on the subsidiarity principle, and that the respect of the rule of law, through implementa!on of original and transferred competencies, is based on the principles of harmoniza!on, jus!ce, and solidarity.

There is no doubt that the elements of rights, obliga!ons, and responsibili!es are defined in detail by laws and regula!ons made on the level of the Republic of Serbia as well as by the Statute of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.

Not only is the respect of the aforemen!oned principles and the cons!tu!onal and legal provisions is an impera!ve of a lawful state and democra!c prac!ce, but it is also the founda!on of stability and normal func!oning of every modern and responsible state.

The fact is that there were !mes in the poli!cal prac!ce thus far, when these guaranteed principles were substan!vely disrespected.It was to be expected that the development of a democra!c society and its harmoniza!on with general civiliza!on and European values would bring such phenomena to a minimum.

Regre&ably, we have been witnesses to a recent annihila !on of the overall ambiance, which has not only harmed the development of the legal system and building of confidence between the ins!tu!ons of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, but it has also had

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the most direct impact on the interests of the ci!zens of Vojvodina, implementa!on of their rights, and guarantees for their security. A par!cularly sensi!ve issue is the breach of the original rights and competencies, which is unprecedented in the modern European prac!ces.

The disagreements accelerated in late 2012, par!cularly in regard to the funding of Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.

The cons!tu!onal guarantees, as provided by the Ar!cle 184, Point 4, of the Cons!tu!on of the Republic of Serbia, defining that the budget of the AP of Vojvodina shall amount no less than 7% of the budget of the Republic of Serbia, with three seventh of the AP Vojvodina budget used for capital expenses, have not helped much either, although they are precisely and clearly defined. The dispute culminated during ra!fica!on of the Amendments to the Law on Budgetary System and the Law on the Budget of the Republic of Serbia for the Year 2013, and it lead to: n Submission of the proposal of the Government of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina to assess the cons!tu!onality of the provisions of the Law on the Amendments to the Law on the Budgetary System, and n Prepara!on of the Dra$ Law on Amendments to the Law on the Budgetary System, which the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina forwarded to the Na!onal Assembly, given the fact that the amendments to the Law have reduced the cons!tu!onally guaranteed minimum budgetary funds for the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina.

The Cons!tu!onal Court, regardless of the urgency of the ma&er, has not even implied yet the steps and the posi!on that might be taken in this regard.

On the other hand, the Republic Government has started managing the Provincial assets without any consulta!ons with the Provincial ins!tu!ons. As an example, it issued a Decree, giving the substan!ve property formally owned by the Province to the City of Novi Sad, thus directly viola!ng the Law. The Provincial Government’s request to enable the representaves of the Province to par!cipate in the ownerMinority News

Document ship and management structures of the Novi Sad Fair, as clearly and unquestionably provided by the Law on Vojvodina Competencies, has been fully ignored.

At the same time, the top management structures, the directors and the members of the managing boards in important state institutions have been increasingly replaced prior to the completion of their terms in the office without any legal basis and any formal explanation.

Partisan cadres have been appointed to these positions instead without any respect to the opinions of the Provincial and local administrations, relevant experts and union organizations.

The right to appoint the acting director of the Provincial Fund for Health and Social Policy has been usurped, contrary to the initiative made earlier as provided by the Law, which has unquestionably vested this authority to the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina. Namely, the Board of Directors of the Republic Fund has violated the Law on the Health Insurance, which explicitly provides that the director of the Provincial Fund, based on results of a public job announcement, is appointed following the formal proposal of the relevant institution of the Autonomous Province. The aforementioned violation of legal proce-

dures suspends the right of the citizens of Vojvodina to have a transparent insight in the distributions of the assets of this Fund.

Based on its responsibility as of the highest level of regional governance and the bearer of the normative authority in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, as provided by the Article 33 of the Statute of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the Assembly of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina herewith ratifies The Declaration on the Protection of the Constitutional and Legal Rights of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Which n Notes the multiple violation of the Constitutional principles and legal regulations in regard to the rights and competencies of the institutions in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, n And Urges the Republic institutions to enhance the level of respect of legal procedures, as guaranteed rights and responsibilities, in close cooperation with the Provincial administrations and representatives of the local selfgovernments, strengthening, at the same time, the mutual cooperation between the all aforementioned stakeholders

ETHNICAL STRUCTURE OF VOJVODINA

A

ccording to the most recent census, the population of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina is 1,931,809, which represents 21.56% of the overall population of the Republic of Serbia.

The majority population in the northern Serbian province are the Serbs (there are 1,289,635 Serbs who live in Vojvodina - or 66.76% of the Provincial population). The other national communities are as follows: n Hungarians (251,136 or 13%) n Slovaks (50,321 or 2.6%) n Croats (47,033 or 2.43%) n Roma (42,391 or 2.19%) n Romanians (25,410 or 1.32%) n Montenegrins (22,141 or 1.15%) n Bunjevac (16,469 or 0.85%) n Rutheninans (13,928 or 0.72%) n Yugoslavs (12,176 or 0.63%) n Macedonians (10,392 or 0.54%) n Ukrainians (0.22%) n Muslims (0.17%) n Germans (0.17%) n Albanians (0.12%)

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n Slovenians (0.09%) n Bulgarians (0.08%) n Others (there are over 26 nations and national or ethnic groups) In most of the municipalities and towns of Vojvodina, Serbs represent the majority population. Hungarians are majority in the five municipalities in the North of the Province (Kanjiža, Senta, Ada, BačkaTopola and Mali Idjoš), Slovaks are majority in the municipality of BačkiPetrovac, whereas the town of Subotica, and the municipalities of the Bečej, Čoka, Bač, and Kovačica ethnically mixed. In the town of Subotica and the municipalities of Bečej and Čoka, the Hungarians represent the majority, in the municipality of Bač Serbs are the majority, while in the municipality of Kovačica, Slovaks are in majority (this is the municipality where the highest number of Vojvodina Slovaks live). The other highly numbered Vojvodina nationalities, such as Ruthenians, Romanians, Montenegrins, Bunjevac, Croats, Czechs, are in majority in some settlements, whereas Roma are majority in some neighbourhoods and suburban areas.

Minority News

INTERVIEW Interview with the President of the National Minority Council of the Hungarian National Minority Published in the Magyar Szo

Korhec: If something is good for the Hungarians – It is not Bad for the Serbs Either

C

rommenting on the announced amendments tion with the already existing legislation in certain areas. to the Law on the National Minority Council, “As far as I know, the increase of the competencies of the the President of the Hungarian National national minority councils has never been mentioned. If Minority Council, TamašKorhec, said that, for the time we talk about the harmonization with the other law, it being, it is uncertain whether the competencies of could even mean the decrease of competencies in all these bodies will be truly increased. He also expressed areas except the education, since, the Law on the Educaconcerns that a possibility of tion and the Law on the National MiThe requests made by the misusing the aforementioned citizens of Serbian nationality to nority Councils have already been amendments to limit the run their own affairs in Croatia, harmonized based on the proposal competencies of the minority self- Bosnia and Herzegovina and in made by the Union of Vojvodina Hungovernment in Serbia should not Kosovo are fully legitimate. The garians during the last Parliamentary be discarded either. principles should be respected. cycle. The plan has been to harmonize “If the Ministry truly wants to limit other laws with the Law on National Those who believe that autonomy is in the interest of the competencies provided by the Minority Councils, and not vice versa”, equality and preservation of Law on National Minority Councils Korhec said. identity can be seen as and harmonize them with the Law “We will use our strength and influtrustworthy only if they insist that on Culture and the Law on Public ence and try to defend our competenthe same principle be applied Information and Media, which are cies, as any restrictions to the universally, from Basque, through being prepared at the moment, acquired rights will be against the Vojvodina Hungarians, all the way they can expect that we would Constitution. In the worst case sce to the Kosovo Serbs strongly resist it”, Korhec said in ario, we will make an appeal to the the interview given to the “Magyar Szo”.

Constitutional Court in regard to this issue. Naturally, I Korhec noted that, according to the information he had would refrain from prejudging the process, as I have also receivedin the last week’s meeting in Belgrade on the been informed that the Ministry plans to include the repways to enhance the position of national minorities in resentatives deleated by the national minority councils Serbia, the substance of the amendments to the Law on in the working group that will prepare the draft amendthe National Minority Councils, would be the harmoniza-

The harmonization of the Law on Education with the Law on National Minority Councils has shown that it is possible to do it without decreasing the competencies of the national minority councils

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Minority News

INTERVIEW ments to the legislation at hand. If this information is true, we will try to resolve any potential conflicts of interest within the working group. The harmonization of the Law on Education with the Law on National Minority Councils has shown that it is possible to do it without decreasing the competencies of the national minority councils”, Korhec concluded.

As the leader of the Hungarian National Minority Council noted, the task of those who support the idea of a cultural autonomy is to prove that such an autonomy, as the Hungarian community believes, can have positive results that are not bad for the majority community either.

“We must be careful in implementing our competencies to take into consideration the legitimate interests of the others as well. Naturally, a legitimate interest of the others should not be that we become extinct or be in a second- rated position”, Korhec added.

Commenting on the requests made by few majority political parties who have been disturbed by the compe-

tencies vested in the Hungarian National Minority Council and who have, at the same time, made loud requests for the widest possible autonomy for the Kosovo Serbs, Korhec described it as double standards.

“They have been so blinded that they do not even recognize that what they are saying, what they are demanding, and what they are doing is in a continuous and irreconcilable discrepancy. I personally support the idea of autonomy and therefore I believe that autonomy should protect a Hungarian as much as it protects a Serb.

The requests made by the citizens of Serbian nationality to run their own affairs in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and in Kosovo are fully legitimate. The principles should be respected. Those who believe that autonomy is in the interest of equality and preservation of identity can be seen as trustworthy only if they insist that the same principle be applied universally, from Basque, through Vojvodina Hungarians, all the way to the Kosovo Serbs”, Korhec concluded.

Magyar szo

Councils for Inter-ethnic Relations Have Failed in their Mission Councils for inter-ethnic relations that operate in Vojvodina multi-ethnic local self-governments have regrettably not succeeded in their mission in all environments, the analysis endorsed by the Hungarian National Minority Council noted.

The Council’s Advisor for the Official Use of Language, KatinkaBeretka, explained that the practice has shown that the aforementioned bodies created in multi-ethnic settlements have not met their true purpose. As she said, there are many reasons for such a failure, from the absence of universal practice for nomination of the members to these councils, through the fact that in one third of the multi-ethnic local self-governments these councils have not been formed, and even if they have been formed, they do not operate in a consistent, transparent, and efficient way. Also, the councils do not meet frequently enough, the public has no knowledge about their work, political influence is, in many cases, clearly visible, and local selfgovernments have not earmarked funds for the work of these bodies, Katinka Beretka concluded.

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Katinka Beretka, Advisor for the Official Use of Language in the Hungarian National Minority Council

Minority News

Front Page News SERBIA Commissioner for Protection of Equality Submits Report To the Parliamentary Committee for Human and Minority Rights and Gender Equality

Nevena Petrušić: There is Discrimination against Roma, the Disabled and the Elderly in Our Society Treatment of marginal social groups is an indicator that our society is not ready to accept differences and the individuals in the critical need for inclusion.

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itizens of Serbia have shown the greatest distance and the most negative attitude towards LGBT population and HIV positive individuals, as well as towards Albanians, Croats, Roma, and Bosniaks.

The results of the survey carried out on behalf of the Office of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality by the Centre for Free Elections and Democracy (CeSID), with support of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), have shown that the most widely spread discrimination is against Roma, the disabled,

and the elderly. The Equality Commissioner Nevena Petrušić has pointed out that, while half of the respondents do not discriminate other groups, they do not condemn discrimination either.

She also noted that, although one third of the respondents condemned discrimination, 18% showed evident tendency towards discrimination and one fifth was unaware that discrimination is against the law.

She noted as particularly disconcerting that 44% of the cases reported to the Commissioner’s Office in 2012

were the cases of discrimination by the government structures. Petrušić also said that 30% of the complaints filed with the Office of the Commissioner for Protection of Equality are in regard to the employment discrimination.

Among the cases the Commissioner’s Office pursued further, Petrušić pointed out the complaints about a pizzeria chain that employed women only, and against a company that announced an office assistant job vacancy looking for “a nice-looking 25-35 year old female”. She added that charges were also

Most of Citizens Aware of Existence of Discrimination in Serbia Generally speaking, citizens are aware of what discrimination is, but additional progress can be made in this regard, as one fourth of the population does not know anything nor has any position about it. The most dominant replies on what the discrimination is are as follows: Endangering/deprivation of rights (23%) Degradation/humiliation (18%) Inequality/unfairness (12%)

More than 60% of the respondents believe that the discrimination is spread or widely spread in Serbia.

Only 3% think that there is no discrimination at all, 14% believe that there is minimal discrimination, whereas 16% are unsure (both yes and no). More than one third of the respondents (36%) think that the discrimination is more evident now than three years ago. Every ninth respondent believe that there is less discrimination, 15% do not know or have no position, whereas 38% think that the level of discrimination is the same.

Compared to the survey made two years earlier, the The following groups believe that the discrimination is order of different types of perception what the dis- more widely spread nowadays: crimination is differs, although the same five terms are among the top five. Eighty-one percent of the respon- 1) The youngest population (age 15-18) dents clearly recognize that it is never justified to de- 2) National minorities, particularly Roma prive someone from a right (to work, to education, minority, and etc.) based solely on their affiliation to a group (ethnic, 3) Individuals with lowest income (under rsd religious, gender, etc.).

10,000 per month).

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Minority News

Front Page News SERBIA

Thirty-eight percent of the respondents identified the Roma population as the most vulnerable group, representing 7% and 12% decrease compared to the 2010 and 2009 surveys, respectively (45% in 2010 and 50% in 2009). The second most vulnerable group are the poor (28%), the disabled (22%), the elderly (18%), women (17%), and sexual minority groups (14%). pressed against the owner of a restaurant whose staff had refused to serve a group of disabled children.

As she noted, the number of registered cases has increased since 201, when the Commissioner for Protection of Equality was appointed. As provided by the Law, the Commissioner can react by statements only and is not authorized to take legal actions, whereas, in certain cases of discrimination, the Commissioner can react only if an official complaint has been filed. Petrušić also said that the Commissioner’s Office sent 117 recommendations for action to the public institutions in 2012.

Serbs and Albanians Are the Farthest from Inter-ethnic Marriages As expected, the ethnic distance towards Serb is minimal. Nevertheless, two thirds of Bosniaks and one third of Roma are not ready to marry a Serb. On the other hand, the highest level of ethnic distance among the Serbs is towards the Albanians, then towards the Croats, Roma, and Bosniaks, whereas the lowest level is towards the Hungarians.

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Discrimination is Most Widely Spread in Employment of Member of the Vulnerable Groups Thirty-seven percent of respondents believe that the discrimination is most widely spread in employment of the vulnerable groups. The employment of the members of the discriminated groups, including the costly custom-tailored measures taken by the state in this regard, is supported by the 76% of the respondents. One tenth of the respondents said that they would not support the aforementioned measures, as they would be carried out to the detriment of the majority population. There is almost identical attitude towards the enrolment of the minority groups in the university. There are no differences in attitude, with the exception of an increased number of respondents (13%) who objected the special university enrolment quota for minorities. Seventy-three percent of the respondents would support such measures, whereas 14% have no position in this regard. The highest level of support to the affirmative action measures exists on the subject of the education in the mother tongue, as 45% of the respondents believe that national minorities should be provided with education in their mother tongue despite the cost that may incur in this regard.

Minority News

Front Page News SERBIA Excerpt from the Survey Results

More 60% of the Respondents Believe that Serbia should be the State of the Serbian People It is easy to support Roma when they are not in your neighbourhood Agree 49% Disagree 20% Do not know 31% Personally, I have nothing against Roma, by they are prone to stealing Agree 42% Disagree 22% Do not know 37%

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Small religious communities “steal” people’s souls Agree 33% Disagree 35% Do not know 33% There is some truth in books about Jewish conspiracy Agree 34% Disagree 46% Do not know 20%

Homosexuals are ill and they must be treated Agree 32% Disagree 20% Do not know 48%

Jews are trying to take advantage even of the suffering of their own nation Agree 34% Disagree 43% Do not know 23%

I have nothing against homosexuals, but they should do it behind their closed doors Agree 17% Disagree 13% Do not know 71%

Children with mental disabilities should not be mixed with other children Agree 61% Disagree 19% Do not know 20%

One should be cautious to other nations, even when they seem to be friendly Agree 32% Disagree 20% Do not know 48%

There are not many people with disabilities in our nation Agree 61% Disagree 29% Do not know 10%

Serbia should be the state of Serbian people only, as Serbs are the majority nation Agree 61% Disagree 15% Do not know 24%

Health care facilities should refuse treatment of HIV/AIDS patients Agree 85% Disagree 11% Do not know 4%

A normal individual acknowledges only traditional religions (Orthodox Christianity, Catholicism, Islam) Agree 37% Disagree 22% Do not know 41%

Patients with HIV/AIDS are to be blamed for their illness SAgree 52% Disagree 25% Do not know 23%

Minority News

In Focus We Have Never Been Closer to a Sustainable and Mutually Acceptable Solution for Kosovo

HISTORICAL AGREEMENT FOR PEACE AND PERSPECTIVES IN THE BALKANS A compromise solution is an ideal in resolving any political problem. Although it has often seemed that a compromise is impossible, particularly given different perceptions of the past, the Agreement reached by Belgrade and Pristina has proven that it was realistic to find a solution that will normalize the situation, above all for those who live in Kosovo

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he agreement, which was initialled in Brussels on April 19, has provoked strong reactions both in Pristina and in Belgrade. The agreement was, almost simultaneously, declared an act of treason by many on both sides. The impression is that there are political forces on both sides that are aggravated by the fact that the two parties in conflict have agreed to end it. The arguments they offer do not focus on specific provisions of the agreement and are more a reaction to the events from the past, which cannot be changed.

The Agreement Creates another Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Balkans...

The hardliners in Kosovo believe that no negotiations and agreements with Belgrade are needed and necessary until after Belgrade has recognized Kosovo as an independent and sovereign state, and the more radical ones demand that Serbia should pay Kosovo reimbursement for war damages. They do not see the Agreement as a positive step towards normalization of the relations in the Balkans. Instead, they condemn it and call for boycott. Few political leaders in Kosovo already

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claim that the Agreement is creating a new entity and new Bosnia and Herzegovina in the Balkans. Some political parties have recognized that they could make a profit on the dissatisfaction of the hardliners and have tried to impose themselves as leaders of the protests, repeating the mantra: “Kosovo is an independent and sovereign state and never again will our destiny be in the hands of Belgrade”.

The Agreement is an Act of National Treason...

On the other side, in Belgrade, those who believe that the signing of the Agreement was the act of treason have grouped together and they insist that those who have initialled the Agreement must be brought to justice as they have consciously breached the Constitution. The Serbian Orthodox Church also issued a statement urging the Prime Minister and the country leadership not to give up on Kosovo. A number of high church officials took part and made public statements in the protests against the Agreement. A number of Kosovo Serbs, predominantly living in the North Kosovo, are determined to boycott the implementation of the Agreement and have publicly joined the protests against it. A few political parties, who

Minority News

In Focus scented potential political profit in the water, have gathered the opponents to the Agreement and started competing among each other in proving convincingly that it was the act of treason and criminal act that the culprits should be held liable for. Although the idea on the referendum had been launched to serve the purpose of the daily politics only, at one point it evolved into a possible option. Like their counterparts in Kosovo, those who oppose the Agreement in Serbia also have a mantra of their own: “Kosovo and Metohia is an inseparable part of the territory of the Republic of Serbia and no one has the right to negotiate with the secessionists”.

People Are More Important than the Law The negotiators knew in advance that they would face fierce negative reactions by their compatriots regardless of the contents of the agreement they were about to make, as there are many of the “principled ones who do not forgive and do not forget” in both camps. Although the aforementioned pressure was clearly seen in different segments of the talks, the negotiators managed to remain focused on specific solutions and the draft agreement on the table. The heavy issues from the past and different perspectives in this regard were only sporadically opened during the talks, more as a consequence to the negotiators’ fatigue and the need to create special perception for the audiences at home than the desire to suspend the talks. The negotiators on both sides and the EU representatives, fully aware of the situation, made additional efforts to reach an agreement eventually and come up with solutions predominantly focusing on the quality of life of people in Kosovo and in Serbia. Having reached the aforementioned priority objective, they would focus as much as possible on international norms, national constitutions, legislations, regulations and practices. Eventually, the success of the Agreement would also depend on whether the solutions reached are in line with the constitutions and legislations of the negotiating parties. The real truth, however, is that the Agreement has prioritized the enhancement of the perspectives of the citizens living in Kosovo and in Serbia. As a consequence, the main criticism of the Agreement is based on the fact that it is not in line with the local legislations. It is clear, however, that it would not have been possible to reach an agreement if it had supposed to: 1.

Allow Kosovo police to use force against those who violate constitutional and legal order of Kosovo and form the parallel governmental structures, and 2.

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negotiate with terrorists and secessionists and that Kosovo is an integral part of Serbia as provided by the Constitution and the UNSCR 1244.

What does the Agreement Provide to the Citizens?

The citizens in Kosovo, predominantly those of Serbian nationality, shall have the increased level of security and protection, since their status has finally been resolved.

They shall have their legitimate representatives in the government structures that no one can challenge and that Pristina shall have to cooperate with as provided by the Agreement. The Serbian community’s right to self government with substantive competencies has been recognized, with no risk of being outvoted or systematically discriminated by Priština. On the other hand, Belgrade shall respect the agreed status of the Serbs in Kosovo and the assets earmarked by Belgrade for the Serbian community in Kosovo shall be used more efficiently and disbursed more equally. It shall prevent any trafficking or smuggling activities, which, as some people claim, were necessary in the past in absence of other alternatives.

Citizens of Serbia shall receive clear and tangible support of the EU in the integration process and all other accompanying benefits in this regard. This package includes the support for the development of the infrastructure and increased assistance in the reforms and development of a more efficient and functional system.

Although certain circles in Belgrade have referred to the aforementioned benefits in this context as to the Kosovo for EU membership trade, the Serbian Prime Minister explained that there is no alternative that will make it possible to reach an agreement and return Kosovo as a whole in the political, legal, and social system of Serbia and enable Serbia to continue with the process of the accession to the European Union.

On the other hand, stability and security is provided to Priština, as the agreement envisages clear principles for the functioning of the local self-governments in North Kosovo and ends tensions and frustrations of being unable to govern a part of Kosovo territory. Additional incentive is the prospect of accession to EU and establishment of a functioning system that currently does not exist in Kosovo.

However, more importantly than any political implications, it is realistic to expect that, in the near future, the Agreement shall contribute to the mutual respect of the nations that share a part of territory. It should also bring to an end any concerns about the survival and open the door to cooperation.

Respect that the state officials are not allowed to Minority News

In Focus The Negotiators Have Sacrificed Their Personal Ratings sible way, and that they have achieved an agreement that Both chief negotiators have found themselves under is in mutual interest. Those who believe that it was posenormous pressure by the general public and the political sible to make a deal that reflects the interests of one opponents, which has somewhat endangered their po- party only will never be happy. litical positions. To this end, Hashim Thaci has been in a more difficult position, as he does not have the support Why is this Agreement Historical? of the parliamentary majority anymore and it is possible The London Economist and Kathryn Ashton immediately that he will have to resign before the elections. described the Agreement as historical, as it brings an end Ivica Dačić has, in addition to the expected death threats, to the conflict that has existed for several decades. Furthermore, it is historical because it has ended up with other political probMore importantly than lems that threaten both his rating and any political implications, been reached at a specific moment that the position of his party. The most acit is realistic to expect can determine the long term future of the tive in this regard are the Serbian Orthat, in the near future, region as a whole. The Agreement on the Normalization of the Relations is a condithodox Church and the political the Agreement shall opposition. The Serbian Radical Party contribute to the mutual tion for further progress in the EU acceshas pressed criminal charges against respect of the nations sion process both for Serbia and for Kosovo, and therefore should be seen as a him on the account of national treathat share a part of territory. It should also historical step forward in the overall efforts son, which may result in a maximum bring to an end any for EU membership. It is historical in the prison penalty. concerns about the sur- context of the relations between the Serbs In order to reply to serious accusavival and open the door and the Albanians, who are, for the first tions and justify their actions to the to cooperation time, about to start building the mutual remore radical circles, the negotiators offered provisional interpretations of the terms of the lations on the basis of the respect of each other’s differAgreement and even resorted to the statements that are ences and interests. not implicitly or explicitly included in the document. From the perspective of a broader regional context, the Priština negotiators thus claimed that the Agreement agreement puts an end to the last armed conflict in the had finally established sovereignty of Kosovo over its ter- Balkans, and marks a possible opening of a new chapter ritory as a whole, and that Serbia had implicitly recog- of relations and conflict resolution in the region. nized independence of Kosovo . Belgrade negotiators, on The Agreement has been reached and now it should be the other hand, informed the public that all requests Bel- implemented and followed up by technical talks, which grade had made had been included in the document and should result in specific solutions for the issues at hand.

Both parties have agreed that the first and the most imnone requested by Priština.

Both chief negotiators believe that time will show that portant step has been made and that the process of northey have carried out their duty in the talks in a respon- malization of relations cannot be stopped any more.

Joseph Biden

Ban Ki-moon

Jose Manuel Barroso

The Agreement Represents Hope Both For Belgrade And For Pristina

United Nations Ready to Help

The Agreement Should Be Implemented As Soon As Possible

I urge Belgrade and Pristina to take necessary steps to implement the Agreement and offer the UN assistance in this process.

I hope that the Agreement will secure better future and permanent stability in the region.

This is a historical agreement and it has to be implemented as soon as possible. I congratulate the leaders of both parties on their commitment, courage and vision. The Agreement shall enable the members of the European Union to “make decisions on the further steps in the European path of Serbia and Kosovo”.

The Agreement represents hope in regard to the progress in “European aspirations of both countries” and ensures peaceful and safe future for all citizens. By taking this important step, Prime Minister Dacic and his Cabinet have shown their competence and strength.

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Minority News

Document The First Agreement on the Principles of Normalization of the Relations 1. There will be an Association/Community of Serb majority municipalities in Kosovo. Membership will be open to any other municipalities provided the members are in agreement.

the four northern Serb majority municipalities (Northern Mitrovica, Zvecan, Zubin Potok, and Leposavic). The Commander of this region shall be a Kosovo Serb nominated by the Ministry of Internal Affairs from a list provided by the four mayors on be2. The Community/Association will be created by half of the Community/Association. The composition statute. Its dissolution shall only take place by a deci- of the KP in the north will reflect the ethnic composion of the participating municipalities. Legal guaran- sition of the population in the four municipalities. tees will be provided by applicable law and (There will be another Regional Commander for the constitutional law (including 2/3 majority rule). municipalities of Mitrovica South, Srbica and Vucitrn).

The regional commander of the four municipalities 3. The structures of the Association/Community will will cooperate with other regional commanders. be established on the same basis as the existing statute of the Association of Kosovo municipalities 10. The judicial authorities will be integrated and ope.g. President, vice President, Assembly, Council. erate within the Kosovo legal framework. the Appellate Court in Pristina will establish a panel composed 4. In accordance with the competences given by the of a majority of Kosovo Serb judges to deal with all European Charter of Local Self Government and Kosovo Serb majority municipalities. A division of the Kosovo law the participating municipalities shall be Appellate Court, composed both by administrative entitled to cooperate in exercising their powers staff and judges, will sit permanently in northern through the Community/Association collectively. The Mitrovica (Mitrovica District Court). Each panel of the Association/Community will have full overview of the above division will be composed by a majority of areas of economic development, education, health, Kosovo Serb judges. Appropriate judges will sit deurban and rural planning. pendent on the nature of the case involved.

5. The Association/Community will exercise other ad- 11. Municipal elections shall be organized in the ditional competences as may be delegated by the northern municipalities in 2013 with the facilitation central authorities. of the OSCE in accordance with Kosovo law and international standards.

6. The Community/Association shall have a representative role to the central authorities and will have a 12. An implementation plan including time frame seat in the communities consultative council for this shall be produced by April 26. In implementing this purpose. In the pursuit of this rile a monitoring func- agreement the principle of transparent funding will tion is envisaged. be addressed.

7. There shall be one police force in Kosovo called the 13. Discussions on Energy and Telecoms will be intenKosovo Police. All police in northern Kosovo shall be sified by the two sides and completed by June 15. integrated in the Kosovo Police framework. Salaries will be only from the Kosovo Police.

14. It is agreed that neither side will block, or encourage others to block, the other side's progress in the 8. Members of other Serbian security structures will respective EU paths. be offered a place in equivalent Kosovo structures.

15. An implementation committee will be established 9. There shall be a Police Regional Commander for by the two sides, with the facilitation of the EU.

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Minority News

Front Page News US Department of State Issues Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2012

US Department of State on Serbia: Discrimination against Roma and Societal Violence against Minorities Identified as Serious Problems The US Department of State has issued the 2012 Annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. The situation in our country has also been included in the document, with disconcerting assessments in regard to the minority rights and other segments of the human rights corpus.

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he Report notes that the most serious human rights problems during the year 2012 included discrimination and societal violence against minorities, especially Roma.

“Harassment of journalists and pressure on them to selfcensor was also a significant area of concern, as were corruption in healthcare, education, and multiple branches of government, including the police, and an inefficient judicial system that resulted in lengthy and delayed trials, and long periods of pre-trial detention”.

The Report also gave details on other problems reported during the year, which included physical mistreatment of detainees by police; harassment of human rights advocates, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) groups and individuals, as well as groups and individuals critical of the government. It also noted other important issue in regard to the human rights practices such as -

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Lack of durable solutions for large numbers of displaced persons, Societal and domestic violence against women and children, and Trafficking in persons.

“The government generally took steps to prosecute officials, both in the police and elsewhere in the government, when abuses were made public. Nevertheless, many observers believed that numerous cases of corruption, police mistreatment, and other abuses went unreported and unpunished”, the Report stated.

It was also noted that there were no reports on the politically motivated disappearances or that “the government or its agents committed arbitrary or unlawful killings”.

In regard to the conditions of prisons and detention centers, the Report noted that they did not meet international standards and were marked by severe overcrowding, generally poor sanitation, lack of proper lighting and ventilation, and weak discipline and poor training among custodial staff. It was noted that one of the problems is prolonged pre-trial detention, and that approximately 27 percent of the more than 11,000 inmates in prison were in pre-trial detention, or had only been sentenced by a first instance court and were awaiting appeal.

However, the Report noted that the government permitted visits by independent human rights observers. It was also pointed out that judges and prosecutors, particularly those handling organized crime and war crime cases, continued to receive death threats. As an example, they noted the case of fugitive Darko Saric, who had reportedly offered a bounty of 10 million euros ($13.2 million) for the assassination of high-level officials, involved in judicial processing of his case.

Barricades Identified as a Problem in the Kosovo Report In the 2012 Report on Kosovo, the US Department of State also noted that the barricades in the North Kosovo made by the hard-line Serbs represented one of the biggest problems “as they limited basic human rights, including the freedom of movement and the transport of goods. “The hard-line (Serbs) used force on several occasions” and harassed their compatriots who did not share their views as well as the members of international Minority News

Front Page News security forces.

The Kosovo Report also expressed concerns in regard to social discrimination of the minority communities, individuals with disabilities, and members of the LGBT populations. It noted the widely spread domestic violence problems, and particularly the violence against women.

The additional problems in regard to the human rights practices are corruption, protection in detention facilities and prisons, length of pre-trial procedures, judicial inefficiency, harassment of media by public figures and criminal elements, limited progress in regard to the return of IDPs, government-linked corruption, human trafficking, children labour in the grey economy, etc.

The Report stated that the Kosovo Government had taken steps against to prosecute and bring to the justice the officials who had abused the power in the security services and other government structures, however, many high level officials implicated in corruption cases had remained untouched.

The Report noted that Ramush Haradinaj had been acquitted by the ICTY on November 29, 2012 and added that the Kosovo Government had cooperated with the EULEX Special Investigative Team in regard to charges about human body organ trafficking and crimes committed from July 1999 to mid 2000, as stated in the 2010 Report by the Council of Europe.

In regard to the missing persons, the Report stated that, while there were no reports on the new politically motivated disappearances, according to the Red Cross, 1,766 individuals reported as missing during the conflict 19981999, continued to be listed as missing persons through 2012.

Cases of Dragan Šutanovac and Milan Marković Mentioned in the Report

The Report noted the claims by the Anticorruption Agency, the Anticorruption Council, and Transparency Serbia, that “corruption remained a widespread, systemic phenomenon” and added that “the new government that came into power in July declared a strong commitment to fighting corruption.”

The Report also quotes that, during the year 2012, the Anti Corruption Agency initiated a number of administrative or criminal proceedings against members of the former government for failures in relation to property disclosure forms. “Notably, the ACA filed a criminal report to the prosecutor’s office against former Minister of Defence Dragan Šutanovac for having falsely presented the full size of his apartment. Former Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Milan Marković was subject to misdemeanour proceedings for filing after the prescribed deadline”.

Inmates in Serbia Are in the Most Difficult Position In its 2012 Report on Prisons and Social Care Institu- reform and minimal impact on the increased efficiency tions in Serbia, the Helsinki Committee on Human of the prison system remained the main characteristics Rights noted that the condition of permanent judicial of the penal policy in Serbia.

Thousands of inmates in the prisons in Serbia are being physically and psychologically destroyed and they are unable to adjust to the society again, the system is deeply corrupt and its inefficiency is costly. Systematic violations of human rights, hundreds of individuals held in unjustified detention, unused production capacities, shady deals made with private companies, are noted in the summary of the Report, which will be issued later this year.

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Minority News

Front Page News SERBIA Yossef Levy, the Ambassador of Israel to Serbia

THE BEST MEDICINE FOR ANTI-SEMITISM IS EDUCATION

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he Ambassador of Israel, Yossef Levy and members of the Parliament of the Republic of Serbia requested that the prosecutors' office initiate investigations against those responsible for recent anti-Semitic posters seen in Belgrade. Ambassador Levy highlighted that Serbia is not an anti-Semitic country.

Anti-Semitism is an act of a cowardice “We have jointly condemned such acts and requested that the prosecutor ensure that those responsible are brought to justice, to prevent evil acts and forbid all extremist organizations Serbia is neither an anti-Semitic state, nor anti-Semitic society in Serbia that call for hate”, said Borislav Stefanovic, the President of According to Stefanovic, the particithe of Parliamentarian group In a conversation with journalists, pants propose to introduce all the Friends of Israel. after a meeting that was also at- necessary information into the Anti-Semitic posters appeared in the tended by the President of the Fed- school curriculum to teach students centre of Belgrade at the end of eration of Jewish Communities in about anti-Semitism and the evils of March 2013, showing a bomber Serbia Mr. Ruben Fuks, Ambassador the Holocaust. Although anti-Semitic from the Second World War with the Levi pointed out that the problems of acts can occur, the Ambassador of star of David, along with the pictures brutal anti-Semitism seen in extreme Israel said that Serbia is neither an acts of extremist organizations have anti-Semitic state, nor anti-Semitic been identified. society. Ambassador Levy pointed Anti-Semitism is a sickness out that anti-Semitic messages in “We expect the state organs to act Belgrade are not the acts of Serbian and every society should immediately, not only against those patriots, but acts of cowardice. fight against it. Anti-Semitic who posted these posters, but also messages are anti-patriotic against organizations that continu- “Anti-Semitism is a sickness and and anti-Serbian acts ously spread hate. Moreover, we every society should fight against it. expect that illegal publications finally Anti-Semitic messages are antidisappear from the market, particu- patriotic and anti-Serbian acts”, of the ruins of the Military Headquar- larly the The Protocols of the Elders concluded the Ambassador of Israel, ters (Generalstab) and the destroyed of Zion and other books that are who pointed out that the best bridge over the Danube in Novi Sad inappropriate and are unacceptable medicine for anti-Semitism is and the message “14 years since the for any civilization and nation”, Ste- education, especially the education of the young generations.

NATO bombing, their terror is still fanovic pointed out . present”.

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Minority News

From the Jewish Community Yom HaShoah Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day Yom HaShoah was inaugurated in 1953, anchored by a law signed by the Prime Minister of Israel David Ben-Gurion and the President of Israel Yitzhak Ben-Zvi. The original proposal was to hold Yom HaShoah on the 14th of Nisan, the anniversary of the Warsaw ghetto uprising (April 19, 1943), but this was problematic because the 14th of Nisan is the day immediately before Pesach (Passover). The date was moved to the 27th of Nisan, which is eight days before Yom Ha'atzma'ut, or Israeli Independence Day. Yom HaZikaron laShoah ve-laG'vurah (‫ןורכיזה םוי‬ ‫" ;הרובגלו האושל‬Holocaust and Heroism Remembrance Day"), known colloquially in Israel Israel and abroad as Yom HaShoah (‫ )האושה םוי‬and in English as Holocaust Remembrance Day, or Holocaust Day is observed as Israel's day of commemoration for the approx-

imately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust as a result of the actions carried out by Nazi Germany and its accessories, and for the Jewish resistance in that period. It is a national and state holiday in Israel and is celebrated on the 27 Nisan (April-May). There are different commemorative days in other countries.

Yom HaShoah in Israel Yom HaShoah opens in Israel at sundown in a state ceremony held in Warsaw Ghetto Square at Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes Authority, in Jerusalem. During the ceremony the national flag is lowered to half mast, the President and the Prime Minister both deliver speeches, Holocaust survivors light six torches symbolizing the approximately six million Jews who perished in the Holocaust and the Chief Rabbis recite prayers.

At 10:00 am on Yom HaShoah, sirens are sounded throughout Israel for two minutes. During this time, people cease from action and stand at attention; cars stop and drivers emerge from them, even on the highways; and the whole country comes to a standstill as people pay silent tribute to the dead.

On Yom HaShoah, ceremonies and services are held at schools, military bases and by other public and community organizations.

On the eve of Yom HaShoah and the day itself, places of public entertainment are closed by law. Israeli television airs Holocaust documentaries and Holocaust-related talk shows, and low-key songs are played on the radio. Flags on public buildings are flown at half mast.

Observance of the day is moved back to the Thursday before, if 27 Nisan falls on a Friday (as in 2008), or forward a day, if 27 Nisan falls on a Sunday (to avoid adjacency with the Jewish Sabbath). The fixed Jewish calendar ensures 27 Nisan does not fall on Saturday.

Flags at half mast on Yom HaShoah

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Yom HaShoah outside Israel Jews in the Diaspora may observe this day within the synagogue, as well as in the broader Jewish community.

Commemorations range from synagogue services to communal vigils and educational programs. Many Yom HaShoah programs feature a talk by a Holocaust survivor or a direct descendant, recitation of appropriate psalms, songs and readings, or viewing of a Holocaust-themed film. Some communities choose to emphasize the depth of loss that Jews experienced in the Holocaust by reading the names of Holocaust victims one after another—dramatizing the unfathomable notion of six million deaths.

Many Jewish schools also hold Holocaust-related educational programs on, or around, Yom HaShoah.

Minority News

From the Jewish Community Also during this day, tens of thousands of Israeli highschool students, and thousands of Jews and non-Jews from around the world, hold a memorial service in Auschwitz, in what has become known as "The March of the Living," in defiance of the Holocaust Death Marches.

This event is endorsed and subsidized by the Israeli Ministry of Education and the Holocaust Claims Conference, and is considered an important part of the school curriculum – a culmination of several months of studies on

World War II and the Holocaust.

Yom HaShoah 5773 in Serbia Although the Jewish community in Serbia is not large, it is traditionally very active, while the Yom HaShoah is always commemorated. The commemoration was held at the Jewish cemetery in Belgrade on 7 April, followed by an artistic program at the synagogue Sukat Salom on the same day at 19.00.

22 April 2013

Serbia commemorates the Holocaust Day

Delegation of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Serbia, led by the President, dr Ruben Fuks, during the wreath laying ceremony at the Staro Sajmiste memorial

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he Holocaust Remembrance Day was commemorated in Belgrade on 22 April by the laying of wreathes at the monument in the complex of the former Nazi-camp “Staro sajmiste”. The Minister of Health in the Government of the Republic of Serbia, Slavica Djukic – Dejanovic was present at the main commemorative event. On behalf of the Serbian government, she laid a wreath.

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A few survivors, along with the ambassadors of Israel and Germany, many diplomats, representative of the Roma national minority, the Head of the EU delegation to Serbia, Vincent Deger and the representatives of the City of Belgrade participated at the state ceremony.

The representatives of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Serbia also laid a wreath.

Yom HaShoah in Novi Sad

om HaSoah was commemorated in Novi Sad on 8 April 2013 in the Club of the Jewish Community. After the presentation of Edita Jankov about the tragic history of the Jewish people, six candles were lit for the six million of our co-nationals who were tragically killed during the Second World War. An interesting exhibition of the artist-painter Slobodan Nenad Karadzic, entitled “Crtica iz zivota – Sketches from

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This year's commemoration was particular, since the former Nazi camp of Staro Sajmiste was visited by the members of the Committee of the Conference of European Rabbis, led

by Rabbi Pinchas Goldsmith, the main Rabbi of Moscow. On this occasion, the Rabbis prayed for the innocent victims. The Holocaust Remembrance Day is also the Day of the Breakthrough of the Jasenovac camp prisoners.

Life”, was opened, celebrating the Roma World Day at the same time. The author, a Roma himself, shared his interesting and sad life story with the guests.

Like the Jews, the Roma were camp prisoners all over Europe. During the Second World War around 1 200 000 Roma were killed. This exhibition was also an occasion to highlight the difficult position of the Roma people in our country.

Minority News

From the Jewish Community The statement of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Serbia, 3 April 2013

The Federation of the Jewish Communities in occasion of the anti-Semitic posters in the centre of Belgrade

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he Jewish community of Serbia is disturbed minorities, broadcast on the Radio Television of Serbia, by the appearance of posters which accuse in the program called “Da mozda ne – Yes Maybe No”, the members of their community of being re- the night before the posters appeared. sponsible for the bombing of Serbia and for the “terror” Intolerance, hate, discrimination, physical attacks and killings are present in this time of crises in many countries that has continued between 1993 and 2013.

The appearance and the content of these posters remind much more than in Serbia. Hate rhetoric in the world repone of those that were seen during the occupation in resents an inspiration for ideas to individuals and groups 1941, when the so-called Anti-Masonic exhibition was that are still small and lack influence in our country. They announced in Belgrade and then opened on 22 October are not connected among themselves only ideologically, but also organizationally. The Federa1941. This exhibition had a very strong The appearance and the tion of Jewish Communities in Serbia Anti-Semitic character and was focused content of these posters warns that there is a tendency to on spreading anti-Jewish sentiments. remind one of those that channel the anger of the unsatisfied, This exhibition was followed by the humiliated and penurious citizens of abolishment of citizen's rights for Jews, were seen during the the theft of their property, arrests, tor- occupation in 1941, when Serbia against Jews and other natures and mass exterminations. Over 80 the so-called Anti-Masonic tional minorities. If not prevented percent of the Jewish population in Ser- exhibition was announced from the beginning, this tendency could develop into a general point of bia was killed during the rule of those in Belgrade and then view in this society which would have who supported the Nazi ideology. opened on 22 October Today, the authors of the posters repre- 1941. This exhibition had a a counter-effect and bring negative consequences. sent the continuation of this ideology, very strong Anti-Semitic whose representatives had all the character and was focused We would like to express our gratipower in the occupied Serbia of 1941. on spreading anti-Jewish tude for the reactions and support we received from the representatives of Anti-Semitic posters that appeared in sentiments the government, respected individuthe centre of Belgrade on Friday, 29 March 2013, rendered the anti-Jewish sentiments and als and all good people in Serbia and Belgrade in this sestatements of some individuals and organized groups vis- rious and disturbing moment. We would also like to ible. The Federation of the Jewish Communities in Serbia request the institutions responsible for monitoring acdrew attention to their public speeches, articles, journals tivities of extremist groups and individuals, the public and books on its website. None of those individuals and prosecutor and the judiciary in general, to act efficiently groups have ever been prosecuted, punished or pre- and effectively and to prevent and eliminate the spreadvented from spreading racial, national and religions in- ing of such ideas – ideas that have been convicted a long tolerance. The consequences of their activities can be time ago as shameful and against any civilized society. best seen in the Report on youth intolerance to different

NEWS FROM THE JEWISH COMMUNITY

“Golem” in the Jewish Community of Belgrade The première of the play “Golem” was held on Wednesday, 24 April in the Large Hall of the Jewish community in Belgrade after its great success on Bejahad, in Subotica, Zrenjanin and in the Fifth Belgrade Gymnasium. The author of “Golem” is the Canadian Giulia Pacal. The play was performed by the Youth Theatre of the Jewish Community Belgrade “King David” and directed by Mirjan Salom.

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Manual for Reading the City “Places of Pogrom and Anti-fascist Movement in Belgrade 1941 – 1944 – Manual for Reading the City” is a title of the publication presented on 11 April 2013 in the Gallery of the Jewish Community in Belgrade. The publication was printed by the B92 Fund as part of the project “Poseta Starom Sajmistu – Staze”, with funds provided by the “Rosa Luxembourg Foundation”. The book was presented by its editors Rena Redle and Milovan Pisari.

Minority News

From the Bosniak Community Esad Džudžević, President of the Bosniak National Council

Day of the Bosniak Flag – a Major Bosniak Holiday

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ational rights are not given to anyone and yet we have been persistent in using them – we started to exercise our rights by ourselves, through our knowledge and capacity - pointed out Esad Dzudzevic, the President of the Bosniak national council in his speech at the ceremony for the Day of the Bosniak flag in Novi Pazar.

“Respected founders of the Bosniak national council, councillors, state secretaries, presidents of municipalities, respected ladies and gentlemen, dear friends, respected participants of the 8th Festival of the Bosniak people's games – SBONI 2013, it is a great pleasure to congratulate all Bosniaks and all citizens of Sandazk on this day - the 11th of May – the Day of the Bosniak flag, on my behalf and on behalf of the Bosniaks national council.

This is the 10th anniversary of the Bosniak national council. Our results speak more than our words. Today, we celebrate the Day of the Bosniak Flag in 2013 – an academic year in which the Bosniak language has been introduced into the school curriculum in Sandzak.

We have rebuilt the Bosniak value system and we are incorporating it into the system of the state in which we live and, more importantly, we are internalising this value system into the conscientiousness and personalities of Bosniak children and future generations of Bosniaks who will recover their self-esteem and self-respect, since they will know and will respect their language, history and culture. They will be proud of their national and cultural identity. We are blessed people, we do not hate anyone, we never did any crime against others, we respect the others and those who are different and we are a nation that has enriched the other nations we live together with through our culture and tradition.

National rights are not given to anyone and yet we have been persistent in using them – we started to exercise our rights by ourselves, through our knowledge and capacity. Moreover, this government has been very cooperative and helpful in this process.

The Bosniak's National Council did a lot for unity and national consensus among Bosniaks. We established and strengthened the cooperation with Bosniaks from Bosnia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Croatia, Slovenia and Montenegro. We cooperate with all ethnic groups in this country: Hungarians, Romanians, Croats, Bulgarians, Vlachs, and Albanians. We cooperate with both domestic

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and international entities.

We presented Bosniaks from Sandzak and their culture and history to both our friends and those who do not care for us much. However, we are respected by everyone. Or they will need to respect us in the future.

Dear friends, Bosniaks in Sandzak and in Bosnia live mixed with other ethnic groups, but mostly with Serbs.

That's why the relations between Bosniaks and Serbs are very important. Serbs will respect us as much as we respect ourselves and our history and culture, or as much as we are strong and united.

I am inviting you to stand up and actively fight and participate in achieving Bosniak rights. I invite you to take a distance from the culture of complaint, disorder and worries, and to build together a culture devoted to work, persistence and results. And you should know – I will quote wise words of the prince of wisdom and the father of the modern Bosniak nation – Alija Izetbegovic: There is no justice and injustice in this world, only weak and strong. Stay strong and we will succeed.

The Bosniak national council calls on the Government of the Republic of Serbia to implement the program of return of refugees and displaced Bosniaks, especially in the municipality of Priboj, their sustainable survival and livelihood and the erection of a monument devoted to the victims from Strpci and Sjeverin, along with the appropriate material remuneration to their families.

The Bosniaks national council strongly supports the process of the unification of the Islamic community on the territory of the Republic of Serbia and calls religious leaders to establish a dialogue focused on mutually accepted solutions and in accordance with Islamic law and Ottoman tradition and in the interest of all believers.

Following the affirmative experience from the EU countries, the Bosniak national council considers the city of Novi Pazar and the municipalities of Tutin, Sjenica, Nova Varos, Projeplje and Priboj as one administrative unit in the process of decentralization and regionalization. This means granting them special regional self-governance within Serbia, along with the right to establish a border region and cooperation with Southern Sandzak in Montenegro. And, once again, I congratulate you the 11th of May, the Day of the Bosniak flag and I declare the Eight Festival of the Bosniak people's games open.

I wish you all the best.

Minority News

From the Bosniak Community The President of the Bosniak National Council congratulates his co-nationals on their celebration

Congratulations on the Day of the Bosniak flag

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osniaks in Sandzak and Serbia celebrate the 11th of May as their national holiday – the Day of the Bosniak Flag – preserving the memory of important dates from their history.

“The 11th of May this year, as in previous years, Bosniaks in Sandzak and Serbia will celebrate with mixed emotions. They will be happy for their national holiday, but also worried, bearing in mind the discrimination that our co-nationals suffer. Their rights, defined by the Constitutions, have been continuously trodden upon, while the Bosniaks National Council, elected by Bosniaks themselves in democratic elections, is obstructed by the Ministry”, Samir Tandir, the President of the Bosniak National

Council pointed out.

“We, Bosniaks, still keep up our optimism when we think about our future. I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate all Bosniaks the 11th of May, our national holiday – the Day of the Bosniak flag”, said Tandir.

Administrative Court ruled in favour of the International University in Novi Pazar

Accreditation Soon

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n the 4th of April 2013 the Administrative Court of the Republic of Serbia ruled in favour of the International University in Novi Pazar and abolished the Decision of the National Council for Higher Education of the Republic of Serbia.

Based on this decision, the National Council for Higher Education is obliged, within a month, to revise its decision in accordance with the decision of the Administrative Court . The decision of the Administrative Court accepted the complaint of the International University in Novi Pazar regarding the accreditation procedure.

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“The agony of the accreditation of the International University in Novi Pazar lasted very long. I believe that this agony finally came to its end thanks to the decision of the Administrative Court. I would like to thank our students and their parents who believed in high quality of this University, despite existing pressures coming from outside. This decision shows that, in this country, there are institutions open to hear those whose rights are trodden upon. This is a very positive signal for all citizens in Serbia”, said Prof. Dr Melvud Dudic, Rector of the International University in Novi Pazar.

Minority News

From the Slovenian Community community Choir music composed by Slovenian composers who lived and live in Serbia

Strings, Gently Singing

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The Embassy of the Republic of Slovenia and the National Council of the Slovenian national minority, in cooperation with the city of Kragujevac, Association of the people of Kragujevac in Belgrade and the Music Center of Kragujevac, organized an unusual concert on Thursday, 25 April in Dom Vojske in Belgrade.

The conductor, Miloje Nikolic, the City choir Liceum and the Ensemble Skancin impressed the audience. They performed pieces by J. P. Galus, Davorin Jenko, Mihovil Logar, Zlatan Vauda and Anica Sabo.

The concert was part of the project “Strings, gently singing�, organized and implemented by the National Council of the Slovenian national minority in Serbia.

The project is devoted to the presentation of choral compositions by authors of Slovenian origin who have lived or are still living in Serbia. It is based on the wish to bring their work closer to the public and to highlight important aspects of the cultural exchange between Serbia and Slovenia. The role of the Association of Slovenians was also important in this process, since it was concentrated on the preservation of the Slovenian culture in Serbia.

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The project was focused on the work of Davorin Jenko, Mihovil Logar, Zlatan Vauda and Anica Sabo, and a special part was devoted to the work of Jakob Petelin Galus, Slovenian renaissance composer, a great master of choral polyphony, recognized as a symbol of the ancient heritage and great value of Slovenian art music.

Minority News

From the Croatian community Community New Law should not Reduce the Achieved Rights

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he meeting on New Media Legislation was organized by the Office for Human and Minority Rights and the Coordination body of the National councils, focused on analysing issues in the filed of information on national minority languages and their solutions. Representatives of the national councils expressed their concern related to the level of the violation of rights and responsibilities as defined by the new Law and requested the harmonization of the Law

on Public Information and the Media Law. The representatives of the Croatian National Council, Darko Saric Lukendic and Ankica Jukic Mandic proposed a new formulation to define the funds from the Republic, the Autonomous Province and local self-governance to be reserved for minority media: Article 10 of the preliminary draft will need to include the percentage reserved for this media.

Days Devoted to A. G. Matos and Dr Josip Andric in Plavna

The Festival of the Croatian Mandolin Music was also organized in Sombor Days devoted to A. G. Matos and Dr Josiv Andric were held in Plavna on 27 and 28 April, organized by the local Cultural-Artistic Association “Matos” and the Institute for Culture of Croats from Vojvodina”.

The youngest members of the Association “Matos” showed their talent, along with the choir and mandolin orchestra. The program included the presentation of the Croatian Choir “Festival bunjavackih pisama” from Subotica. The event was followed by mass for the three Croatian heroes in the Church S. Jakov, while the exhibition of the Croatian Art Association “Cro Art” from Subotica was opened.

Local Croats pointed out that Matos and Andric remain the main protagonists of the permanent inspiration in the work of the Plavanj-based cultural association.

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Following the opening of the International Festival of Croatian Mandolin Music on Friday, the 10th of May in Osijek, the second evening of this traditional manifestation was organized in Sombor, hosting this event for the third time. This year, the Festival of the Croatian Mandolin Music celebrated its 36th anniversary.

A small celebration was organized in the hall of the Sombor-based Croatian House, before the competition of mandolin orchestras started. The event was opened by the President of the Croatian Cultural and Art Association “Vladimir Nazor”, Mata Mataric, who expressed his great pleasure for being able to be the host of such an event again this year.

The General Consul of the Republic of Croatia in Serbia, based in Subotica, devoted his presentation to the Festival and the concerts of the Croatian mandolin music performed abroad.

“Festival Bunjevackih pisama” and the Subotica Mandolin Orchestra were among the four mandolin orchestras that performed that evening.

Minority News

community From the Slovakian Community

The Embassy of Slovakia and the Embassy of Serbia jointly presented naive art paintings in Beijing

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n Friday, 10 May, an exhibition of naïve art

by Jan Glozik from Kovacica and Janos Mesaros from Belgrade was opened in Beijing, China.

We can easily say that the naïve art from Kovacica has visited every part of the world. The exhibition of the artists on the 10th of May at the Slovakian Embassy in Beijing is just another confirmation. The exhibition included the work of the contemporary naïve artist from Kovacica, Jan Glozik and the naïve artist from Belgrade, Janos Mesaros.

This is the first exhibition organized by the Embassy of Slovakia in Beijing. It was opened by His Excellency, the Ambassador of the Slovak Republic in China, Frantisek Dlhopoljcek. The exhibition is jointly organized by two embassies - the Embassy of the Slovak Republic and the Embassy of the Republic of Serbia.

The exhibition of the two authors – Jan Glozik from the famous Kovacica-based school of naïve art and Janos Mesaros, a naïve artist from Belgrade, however different from the Kovacica-based style, will be also seen outside Beijing, in few other towns in China.

The phenomenon of the Kovacica naïve art has been recognized all over the world. Their work is part of the collections of many celebrities – from Queen Elisabeth II to actors Ursula Andress, Alain Delon and musicians, such

as the Rolling Stones. This exhibition confirmed that naïve art was born in Kovacica. Its uniqueness, originality, honesty and tender view of the world will fascinate the public in distant Beijing.

“Slovesna jar 2013” - many nice words The 47th Festival, known as “Slovesna jar”, was organized this year between the 23rd and the 26th April in Martin in Slovakia. The last day of the Festival was devoted to the literature, paintings and the culture of Slovaks from Vojvodina.

The program started with the debate on “Foreign Guests of the Verbal Spring” with the following guests: Vjera Benkova, Miroslav Demak, Martin Prebudjila, Vladimir Valencik, the artist Pavel Canji, the writer and professor Etela Farkasova from Bratislava. The program continued in the Gallery of Turcan with the presentation of the work of Vjera Benkova and Etele Farkasova, the writers expressed mutual respect for each other and explained

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how their cooperation developed while writing the jointly published book in the Serbian language “U zatisju sna”.

The exhibition by Pavel Canji “Paintings and Graphics” was opened in the same gallery. The director of the gallery, Ljubomir Kraljovanski, welcomed the foreign guest, while the curator of the exhibition, Vladimir Valencik brought the author's art closer to the numerous visitors.

Around 30 Slovakian teachers from Vojvodina were among the guests at the opening, They joined the event after the four-day seminar for teachers, organized by the Self-governance of Zilinska in Martin.

Minority News

From the Bunjevac Community The Festival of Slavic Literacy and Culture Organized in Novi Sad

Bunjevac Community Side by Side with other Slavs

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epresentatives of the Bunjevac National Community participated in the Festival of Slavic Literacy and Culture, which was organized by the City of Novi Sad on May 24-26, 2013.

The Festival featured the exhibition in the foyer of the Novi Sad City Hall on the cultural-historical heritage of the Bunjevac community and other Slavic communities.

The representatives of the Bunjevac community also took part in the “Slavic Friendship Nights” recital in the main hall of the Novi Sad City Palace. At the opening of the exhibition, Mirko Bajić expressed gratitude to the City of Novi Sad and noted that “Bunjevacs are small, but historically recognized, Slavic nation, who has lived in this part of the world for centuries, and regrettably, as it has been the case for decades, they are even nowadays struggling to preserve their identity. T his is an opportunity to show a small piece of our cultural and historical heritage and we feel happy and privileged to be able to participate in this Festival with other Slavic communities”.

Ms. Kata Kuntić, the President of the Cultural and Art Society “Bunjevka”, who was the selector and author of the exhibition, gave more details on the exhibition and the individual exhibits. She pointed out to the historical presentation of the origin of the Bunjevac community and specifically presented the folk custom “Dužijanca“, with

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the exhibits made of straw, a crown and bread made of newly harvested grain and a man and a woman in the national costumes, which have drawn attention of all attendees.

A solo singer, Tamara Babić participated in the “Slavic Friendship Nights” with two Bunjevac songs and the Cultural and Art Society “Tavankut” presented a mix of Bunjevac folk dances, which have been warmly received by the audience. Thus the Bunjevac Community participated in the event with other Slavic communities living in Serbia and the guests from Nizni Novgorod from the Russian Federation and contributed to the overall success of the first Festival of the Slavic Literacy and Culture, which was organized by the City of Novi Sad.

Minority News

Minority News special edition

8 April – The Roma World Day

Minority News

8 April – The Roma World Day

Do Roma have anything to Celebrate?

They live hard and short, they are invisible for the state, they live in a society where prejudices and stereotypes dominate, they are the most vulnerable part of the society, while discrimination towards the Roma people is the most visible.

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he average R o m a person lives 49 years and only one in 100 live up to sixty.

Only 5 percent of Roma have employment contracts on an indefinite period of time, while 80 percent are functionally illiterate. Between three and five thousand Roma are legally invisible, while most of them have a social benefit as their only income. Around 15 percent of Roma girls between 15 and 19 get married before they turn 15, while every third has a child before she turns 18. They leave school before they turn 12 years.

The mortality rate of new born children is 50

a high risk of fire and infectious diseases. There is no clear picture about the number of people who live in such places, but figures are between 25.000 and 50.000.

During the process of dislocation from such places, there is always a problem, especially in Belgrade, since often international standards are not respected and their rights, guaranteed by the law, are not respected. International standards require that appropriate information about dislocation be delivered in written form and an appropriate alternative be offered, some-

Only one in 100 Roma will reach the age of 60 percent higher compared to the average in the Republic of Serbia.

This leads to the question whether the Roma people have anything to celebrate.

According to the Census from 2011, there are more than 147.000 Roma in Serbia. According to the Roma National Council, there are around 600.000 and 700.00 Roma in Serbia in around 600 settlements. Half of them live in places without basic hygienic conditions. Only in Belgrade there are about 150 such places. These places do not have any communal infrastructure and basic living conditions. The conditions are substandard for humans. In such places there is always

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thing that is not followed in the local context. As a temporary solution in Belgrade, a metal containers of 14 square meters have been organized and they do not represent appropriate conditions for family living.

The International Pact on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the Revised European Social Act guarantee the right of accommodation, which is one of the basic human rights. The Republic of Serbia sighed both documents. Unfortunately, the state has not fulfiled its obligation and members of the Roma community are mostly affected .

Minority News

The International Roma Day The most important statements The President of Serbia, Tomislav Nikolic pointed out that the protection of national minorities in Serbia is guaranteed by the Constitution and that the Republic of Serbia should protect minority rights. Moreover, they enjoy a special protection aimed at achieving full equality and protection of their identity.

The Mayor of Belgrade, Dragan Djilas announced that the problem of housing for 202 Roma families will be solved during the next two years with the financial support of the European Union, the City of Belgrade's partner in this project.

“During the last four years, we have done a lot for our co-citizens, the Roma people from the non-hygienic settlements in Belgrade. We organized accommodation for 303 families, 1,389 people got their personal documents (IDs and Medical cards), social benefits, while 191 apartments were given to Roma families, out of 650 social apartments that we built (91 family from the settlements Belvil and below the Gazela bridge and 100 families from other parts of the city) “.

The Minister of construction and urbanism, Velimir Ilic said that bad living conditions is one of the biggest problems that the Roma community is facing.

He invited Roma to apply to get social apartments. At the moment, apartments of a total area of 10.000 square meters are being built for the most vulnerable part of the population, while the Roma are advantaged in the decision process. It is important, however, to register with local authorities. He pointed out that 14 towns in Serbia offered free of charge the land with all communal permissions to build such apartments.

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The Minister of Health, Slavica Djukic Dejanovic said that the health protection of the Roma people has been substantially improved. A great success is the existence of Roma health mediators, who will be fully integrated into the Serbian health system.

Thanks to 75 mediators, in the health database there are 130.000 Roma, including 47.000 children. 22.000 children have been vaccinated, while 10.000 women went through a medical check-up.

The Director of the Office for human and minority rights, Suzana Paunovic, pointed out that the mortality rate among Roma children has been reduced by 50 percent since 2005. However, it is still twice the mortality rate of the Republic's average.

“Since 2003 and thanks to the affirmative measures undertaken, 1,092 students entered higher education, while 2.000 Roma adolescents joined secondary schools.

The Minister of Justice, Nikola Selakovic says that Serbia should be a safe house with equal rights for everybody, but also obligations. “The Government and responsible institutions are preparing different projects with the EU support to raise the awareness about human rights. Such projects will improve Roma education, accommodation and their better integration into social life”.

Minority News

Special Supplement World Roma Day The International Roma Day The most important statements The President of the Parliamentarian Committee for human rights and gender equality, Meho Omerovic pointed out that only join action, higher tolerance and solidarity could bring positive steps and improve the position of the Roma people.

The Ombudsperson of the Republic of Serbia, Sasa Jankovic said that despite some individual examples of the improvement of the Roma life, they are still affected by general poverty and discrimination. He pointed out that there is no room for celebration regarding the speed of Roma integration into society.

The Commissioner of Protection of Equality, Nevena Petrusic says that the Roma are still the most discriminated social group in Serbia and called all social actors to work more intensely towards reducing all forms of direct and indirect discrimination.

“Although many things have been done during the last few years to improve the status of Roma, they are still the most discriminated social group in Serbia and it can be seen in the field of employment, education, health protection and housing”.

The State Secretary of the Ministry of Interiors,Vladimir Bozovic invited Roma to participate in the work of the Police force and to apply for employment there. He pointed out that all calls for employment in the Police force are translated into the Roma language and said that the Roma are welcome in the Police Force, since their participation will automatically increase the security of the Roma community.

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The Head of the EU Delegation in Serbia, Vincent Degert said that the Roma World Days should be recognized as an invitation to the EU counties and EU candidate countries to point out the need for the integration of the Roma people and their better health protection.

The Chief of the OSCE Delegation in Serbia, the Ambassador Peter Burkhard called for the continuation of the efforts in the Roma inclusion and higher tolerance.

The President of the National Council, Vitomir Mihajlovic said that poverty, discrimination and high levels of unemployment are the most crucial problems of the Roma people, while their status has been improved after the National Council was founded. Another problem facing the Roma people is poor education, along with the problems related to their health. It is very important to integrate Roma into social, political, economic and cultural life.

Mihajlovic pointed out that there is a political will to help the Roma community since 2000, however this is not enough, since concrete results are more important. He said that the status of the Roma has substantially improved since the National Council was established.

“The Roma people are more visible nowadays, at least the majority nation, the state and international organizations are better informed about their problems”, said Mihajlovic.

Minority News

Special Supplement World Roma Day Media coverage of the World Roma Day

One Day of Responsible Reporting about Roma is not Enough The Roma people celebrate their holiday for the 42nd time worldwide. Almost all state authorities in Serbia gave statements, including congratulations and promises that their position in society will improve in the forthcoming period.

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lmost all media in the Republic of Serbia population, as a social group, lives a very difficult life and reported the celebration of the World Roma that immediate and substantial help is a must.

Day. We do not need to repeat the stories On that day alone, there were no jokes about Roma in that could be heard on TV stations, print media and the newspapers, while local crime chronicles reported internet portals. All highly ranked state authorities have about other people who were breaking the law, and not been recognized on that day as champions of Roma the Roma who did it again, who robbed someone or rights and they all agreed that the Roma people live in committed another crime. Information about ethnic very difficult conditions. Maybe some of them were background, often highlighting ethnicity selectively, does happy next morning, when the Roma World Day was serious damage in society, while negative consequences behind them, or it could for the whole social group can be On that day alone, there were happen that some of them hazardous. On that day, it looked as quickly forgot the promises if the media had managed to no jokes about Roma in the given a day earlier. understand its importance and the newspapers, while local crime We believe this is not the case chronicles reported about other importance of responsible reporting. and we will continue to monitor The Serbian media has done a good people who were breaking the and report on the promises they job on the World Roma Day. Their gave. Up to now, the Roma have law, and not the Roma who did it reports were professional. We truly again, who robbed someone or attained public sympathy, believe that such a trend will mostly from state authorities continue and that reports in the committed another crime and honest reports about their future will not include jokes about status in society. Media reports included real facts, exact Gypsies or information about a Roma man arrested for information, worrying figures and presented correct and robbery. logical conclusions, while society was horrified by such alarming facts. The level of education and The Media has demonstrated a responsible and unemployment, mortality rate, life expectancy and many professional approach. This might announce a different other parameters all clearly show that the Roma media approach towards the Roma people in the future.

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Opinions expressed in Minority News newsletter do not necessarily represent the oďŹƒcial positions of the Governments and organizations that fund this project.