Serbia - Strengthening the protection of national minorities

Back Roundtable on the Official use of minority languages and scripts held in Medvedja

The roundtable on the Official use of minority languages and scripts in local self-governments took place on 18 March by the municipality of Medvedja and the Council of Europe in cooperation with the Ministry of local self-government, Secretariat for legislation and Protector of citizens.

The event was organised within the project “Strengthening the protection of national minorities in Serbia” financed from the Joint Programme of the Union and Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility” for the Western Balkans and Turkey.

The aim of the roundtable was to present the novelties of the new legal framework regulating the rights of national minorities, especially in regards to the official use of minority languages and scripts at the local level. Participants included representatives of the municipality administration, National Council of National Minorities, Council of interethnic relations and media.

Furthermore, the European Union and the Council of Europe granted approx.15.000 EUR to the municipality of Medvedja with the aim to support the implementation of the project "That we understand each other better".
This project is an example of good practice in the implementation on the local level of Council of Europe monitoring bodies recommendations and the national the legal framework so to improve the rights to the official use of minority languages as well as promotion of tolerance.

Medvedja 18/03/2019

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“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.