“Strengthening the protection of national minorities in Serbia” will support the authorities in enhancing the rights of persons belonging to national minorities in Serbia, by addressing the legislation, policy and practice in particular fields.

Expert advice will be provided in respect of amending the Law on the National Councils of National Minorities. In addition, steps to raise awareness about national minorities and promote tolerance will be taken. Finally, the Action will seek to promote the use of minority languages in education, public administration and courts, by addressing both the authorities and the national minorities themselves.

The project started on 1 November 2016 and wascompleted on 30 June 2018, has an overall budget of 400,000 Euros. It is funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, under the "Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Turkey", and is implemented by the Council of Europe.

objectives
  • Improve the legal framework concerning the National Councils of National Minorities;
  • Raise awareness about national minorities, their rights and promote tolerance;
  • Strengthen minority languages in education;
  • Enhance the use of minority languages in public administration and courts.
expected results
  • Enhanced expertise with a view to amending the Law on the National Councils of National Minorities;
  • Enhanced capacity of the authorities to ensure an appropriate presentation of national minorities in education; 
  • Increased knowledge of the general public on national minorities in Serbia;
  • Increased knowledge about the role and functioning of the Councils for Inter-Ethnic Relations among local authorities;
  • Enhanced capacity of the authorities to improve the minority language education system;
  • Strengthened capacity of the authorities to provide for the use of minority languages in public administration and the courts;
  • Increased knowledge of persons belonging to national minorities about their rights and the opportunities for use of their language in education, administration and courts.
Visual identity of the Horizontal Facility
project at a glance

Duration: 1 November 2016- 23 May 2019

Funding: European Union and Council of Europe

Budget: 400 000 Euros

partners
  • Office for Human and Minority Rights
  • Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development
  • Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government
  • Ministry of Justice
  • National Councils of National Minorities in Serbia
  • Civil society organisations