Publication "Challenges of Contracts for Promotion Minority Policy in Bilateral of Multilingualism and Regional Cooperation" in AP Presented Awarded

46 Minority Newmay 2s 018

Shukri Ymeri: We Expect Results and Greater Successes The Protector of A Memorandum of Citizens and the Cooperation Signed Between Bulgarian Ambassador the Bosniak National Council Signed the Grant and the National Council of the Agreement Albanian National Minority HIGHLIGHTS EDITORIAL 46 A Public Call for Allocation of Funds fr om the Budget Far Be low th e Expe cted? Fund for National Minorities More than two years ago, the Government of the Republic of adopted the Action Plan for the Rea liza tion of the Rights of Na tional Mino r ities, as A nnounced well as t he Actio n Plan fo r Chapter 23, t hus m ak ing the Republic o f Ser bia On May 7, the Ministr y o f Public A dmini - comple te its strate gic commitmen t to improving t he institutio n al and le - stration and Local Self Governme nt issued gisla tive framewor k in t he are a of human and m ino rity righ ts and free doms. a public call for the allocatio n of fun ds from After two y ears, in ad dition to num erous acti vities inc lud ed in the acti on the Bu dget Fund for fin anc ing program s plans, a pu blic deb ate on the Draft Law on A mendments to the Law on and projects in the area of information in National Councils of National Minorities came to the fore. During the public the langu ages of nati onal minoritie s in 2018. hearing, the Ministry o f Pu blic Ad ministration and L oca l Se lf -Gove rnment This year, RSD 21.8 million was secured, organized two roundtables, in Kučevo and , and after the completion which is 12 tim es m or e than in t he p revious year. of the dis cussion, co mpiled a Rep ort on the con ducted public debat e. Some of t he o bjectio ns of na t iona l minority counc ils were that, in the D raft, the nat ion al m inority councils we re n ot chara cterized a s organiz ations of Presentation of the Publication cultural auto no my an d th e fo rm of non-territorial s elf-g over nm en t, that "Challenges o f Minority Policy the powers of n at ional councils in certai n areas have been r e duced by in - troducing excessive control over their work, thus weakening the institutional in B ilatera l a nd Regional pIositio n of nationa l c oun cils. Cooperation" As w e have writte n before, perhap s the mos t prob lematic pro v ision of the The Forum for Ethnic Relations, with the support Draft Law concerns the de politicisatio n of n ational mino rity councils, or of the Open Society Foundation Serbia, pre - conflict of interest in their membership. Some NMC representatives agreed sented a pu blic ation titled "C hallenges of Mi - zbog toga thšat t his provision is acce ptable onl y for n on-minority p olitical p arties. A s nority Policy in Bilateral and Regional Coope - it has been pointed out several times, this provision is opposed to the de - ration". The ai m of the pub lication i s to point mocratic electoral process, since national councils are elected in elections, out the bas ic elem ent s and basic pr ocesses that have an impact on the implementation and every election process is political where the main actors of a political party are. Nam ely, accordin g to th e R štoepo uzdišemort, the Natio zana l„starletama“ Councils propo kojesed of the proactive integrative minority policy of s the Republic of Serbia, as well as to point out that Article 11 of the Draft Law, which provides that a member of the the possibilities of improving the protection of National Council can not be a member of the governing bodies of a political the rights and the integration of national mi - par ty, explicit ly provides that this d oes n ot a ppl y to the b odie s o f political norities, and consequ ently relations with ne - parties of natio nal mino rities, or to be d eleted a ltogeth er; or t ha t th e en - ighbors in bilateral and regional coop eration, visag ed sol u tion ap pli es o nly to the pr esident o f the n ational counci l and as well as in the process of in tegration into the mem ber s of the execu tive b oar d, and t hat a memb er of the national co uncil European Union. can not be a d eputy , cou ncilor, or a me mber of a po litica l p art y othe r than Cer tif icates awa rded to a political party of a national minority. Proposals related to this article were stu dents f rom th e AID partially accepted, that is, the Ministry "accepted the remark that the proposa l o f that art icle wa s too w ide-ran ging, an d, in tha t res pe ct, it A c ademy accep ted the suggestion t hat m em bership of the gov erning bodies of The Embass y of the Republic of Bulg aria, political parties should be incompatible with the tasks of the president of

in presence of H.E. Ambassador Radko the national cou ncil and m ember of t he nation al co uncil's executiv e board ." Vlajkov, hoste d the aw ard ceremony of certificates to the participants of the Interethnic, Interfessional and Intercul - tural Dialogue Academy, organized by 30 d iffer ent national m inorities live in Serbia the Forum for Ethnic Rela tions, in coo - peration with the Highe r School for Bu - siness Economics and Entrepreneurship (PEP) and the ERMA pr ogram, Sarajevo -Forli, with the support of the Embassy of the Repub lic of Bu lgaria.

Ruž ić M ee ts w it h

R ep resen tatives of the Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Branko Ružić met with the representatives of the Serbian-Aromanian Society " Lunjina" on April 20 ab out the po - sition of th is minority comm unity and the for all exercise of their right to preserve identity, ONE newsle er cult ure and lang ua ge. M inister R užić said and tha t, although a t this m oment th ere are no conditions for the Aromanian community to for m its nationa l council of a n ational minority, other mechanisms for exercising their rights www.minoritynews.rs are available. Minority News Portal OUR INTERVIEW: SHUKRI YMERI, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE ALBANIAN NATIONAL MINORITY We Expect Results and Greater Successes he Albanian community living in this region is an ancient nation. However, the National Council of the Albanian National Minority was established in 2010, at a time when many national councils had already developed their field of activity. We discussed the level the establishment of the National Council has contributed to the development of the Albanian minority, aTs well as other topics, with the President of the National Council of Albanians, Shukri Ymeri.

Could you tell us when the Albanians authors, the church in Orahovica is other nation in the region in this re - inhabited these areas and what is mentioned sometime around the gard, and we are the oldest nation specific for your community? 11th century, and, after that, we have in this area. We call ourselves a nation, the "Preševo Castle", "the Buhtan because we are, from a scientific per - The Albanians are descendants of Bridge", and many other archeological spective, a nation that is characterized the Illyrians, and there are many sites that indicate that we as a people, by the number of people, the area scientific arguments that the Dardans as an Albanian community living on inhabited by all Albanians, our enga - inhabited these territories since the these territories, are one of the an - gement and other ceremonies, our 4th century B.C. There is one place cient nations of this region. The spe - descendants, our language, our tra - in Orahovica, "Kacipup", where there cifics of the Albanian people are their dition, our faith. These are all ele - are still graves of the Dardan warriors. tradition and their language. I think ments of one nation, although we Then, in some manuscripts by Serbian that there is no similarity with any are separated from the Albanian tree 3 Minority News and we remain as a minority in the Council of the Albanian National Mi - in the Albanian language in the near Preševo region in Serbia, as a conse - nority are primarily the hope that, future, starting from elementary edu - quence of global politics and misun - after the next elections, we will have cation to the high school education. derstandings between the people li - 29 members in the National Council To this end, we will cooperate closely ving in this region. of the Albanian National Minority. with all ministries, especially the Mi - We now have 15 and we hope that nistry of Education. The Albanian national minority par - the number of councilors will increa - ticipated in the elections for national se, to the number that we had in As you are also the Prinicipal of the minoirty councils for the first time 2010, when there were 29. Also, by "Zejnel Ajdini" Primary School, you in 2010. What kind of impact has the decision of the Office for Human are familiar with the work of other the establishment of the Council had and Minority Rights, the National schools in which the classes are con - on the position of the Albanian mi - Council of the Albanian National Mi - ducted in the Albanian language. nority since? Has the development What are the biggest challenges that proceeded as expected? these schools face? It is known that the Albanian minority The problems of Albanian schools had great temptations in the past, are the same, both in my school and especially during the Milošević regi - Our expectations regarding in all other schools, from Preševo to me, so the Albanians did not form the new elections for the Medvedja. First of all, the main pro - the National Council in time. It is true National Council of the Al - blems are lack of textbooks for stu - that, in 2010, we established the Na - banian National Minority dents and inadequatly furnished clas - tional Council of the Albanian National srooms when it comes to modern Minority for the first time. It was not are primarily the hope practical teaching equipment. Also, easy for us to make a decision on the that, in the next elections the older teaching staff is not able to establishment of this Council, and for the National Council of keep up with technological changes we did not expect much to be done. that occur over time. And, of course, However, there are several specific the Albanian National Mi - I would mention that cooperation is steps that we can say that have been nority, we will have 29 a challenge, insufficient mutual coo - achieved. For example, if we talk members. We now have peration between pupils, parents and about education, a number of tex - teachers, and it is common to face tbooks in the Albanian language are 15, and we hope that the these problems both in my school available, but not all. The establish - number of councilors will and other schools. But the biggest ment of the National Council has po - increase, to the number problem, as I noted earlier, is the lack sitively influenced the policy mobili - of school textbooks in the Albanian zation of the Albanians, and we, as from 2010, when there language. As we are entering the se - the National Council, are able to pre - were 29. cond decade of the 21st century, it sent our problems to the national, is incomprehensible that Albanian Albanian, and international stakehol - students do not have educational tex - ders, and, normally, to the various tbooks in their mother tongue. ministries and the Government in Belgrade. How does the Memorandum of Edu - nority has, for years, suffered conse - cation in Minority Languages, which Due to the circumstances that oc - quences of the decision to boycott has been signed between your Na - curred at the beginning of this year, the population census in 2011. What tional Council, the Ministry of Edu - you are currently serving as the Pre - do we expect from the next elections? cation, Science and Technological sident of the National Council of the We expect results and greater suc - Development and the Textbook In - Albanian National Minority. What cesses. Bearing in mind that the Na - stitute work in practice? are your expectations about the tional Council of the Albanian National forthcoming elections for national Minority legally has the right to work This Memorandum is not functional councils, and in which areas, for within the four competencies - in the for us because it envisages only a par - which the Council has competencies, fields of education, culture, informa - tial solution for textbooks in the Al - you expect the greatest progress? tion and official use of the Albanian banian language. It is based predo - language and script - we expect grea - minantly on translations of primary Earlier this year I became president ter progress in the field of education school textbooks, while we are inte - of the National Council of the Alba - and information, and particularly in rested in solving the problem of tex - nian National Minority after the death the field of education. With support tbooks for both primary and secon - of the previous president, late Mr. of the Ministry of Education and the dary education. Musliu. Our expectations regarding international stakeholders, we expect the new elections for the National to solve the problems of textbooks Have you managed to provide aut - 4 Minority News hors and translators for textbooks who teach the in ševo, and Medveđa, and in the Albanian language, is there Albanian schools are well prepared in the Ministry of Education we have any will to overcome the problems and teach pupils with full capacity, only one representative - pedagogical in order to complete the textbooks but, as soon as the children return advisor. It would be in our interest for students attending classes in the to their homes, they are not in contact that the Ministry of Education opens Albanian language? with the Serbian language, so they an office in Preševo and hire more always fall behind in this regard. pedagogical counselors that our Al - We think that the probliem is not in banian schools would be in touch providing authors, translators, or edi - We are interested in making sure that with. This would help us a lot. tors of school textbooks. The problem our children speak the Serbian lan - is deeper, and that is why we did not guage, not only the Serbian language, A Cooperation Agreement was re - search for editors and writers of these cently signed between the Faculty of textbooks. Instead, we have asked Economics in and the Faculty for an annex to the Memorandum of Economics in Tetovo. Can you tell with the Ministry of Education and us more about this agreement and the Textbook Institute, with the aim Most of our students its relevance to Bujanovac? to ensure a more comprehensive so - lution for textbooks in the Albanian who complete secon - Yes, this agreement, which was signed language, both for elementary and dary education study in Bujanovac between the Faculty of secondary education. Economics in Subotica and the Faculty in , and, after of Economics in Tetovo, should be At the round table "Implementation completing their stu - welcomed. I personally attended the of the Minority Action Plan: Education dies, they face pro - signing ceremony. Having a university in Minority Languages, school year department in Bujanovac is a great 2017/2018", which was held in Bel - blems with the di - pleasure and a great pride. It means grade at the end of last year, you no - ploma recognition that this is a university city. With this ted that one of the problems is the agreement, signed for a five-year recognition of diplomas for students with the Ministry of term, the Faculty of Economics in Te - studying in Kosovo, as well as insuf - Education. The conse - tovo assists Albanian students with ficient knowledge of the Serbian lan - quence of this pro - the Albanian language classes, but guage by members of the Albanian the Faculty of Economics in Subotica, minority in Bujanovac, Preševo and blem is that our gra - based in Bujanovac, also provides Al - Medveđa. duates are forced to banian students with about 30% of migrate somewhere, classes in the Albanian language, and This is true, since most of our students these classes are usually translated who complete secondary education to stay in Kosovo or simultaneously. And we hope that study in Kosovo, and, after completing migrate to European the Faculty of Economics in Subotica their studies, they face problems with in Bujanovac will increase this per - the diploma recognition with the Mi - countries. centage, to have more than 30% of nistry of Education. The consequence classes in Albanian, as this will be of this problem is that our graduates most helpful. Also, if I am not mista - are forced to migrate somewhere, to ken, this agreement provides that stay in Kosovo or migrate to European classes are translated into the Alba - countries. This represents our great but also as many languages as pos - nian language only for undergraduate concern and, at the same time, it is sible. The fact is that we have teachers studies, while translation into the Al - detrimental to the educational pro - who are well prepared for this class, banian language is not provided for cess, because our teaching staff are i.e. the majority of Serbian language the graduate studies classes. We, the - old and will retire soon and we have teachers are licensed, but the pro - refore, hope that the Albanian tran - no opportunity to replace them. Also, blem is that our children do not have slation will be provided for graduate the truth is that the Albanian minority contacts with Serbian students or students, too, so that Albanian stu - does not speak the Serbian language programs in the Serbian language; dents, when they finish their studies well. The reason is not that they do they are predominantly informed in at this Faculty, are really prepared. not want to learn or speak it, but the the Albanian language, and they ra - They have good conditions at this Fa - problem is that we mostly have in - rely have the opportunity to speak culty, they have a good teaching staff, ternal contacts, among Albanians on - the Serbian language. And this is of and we want graduate students today, ly, and very limited contact with the greatest importance. About 50,000 tomorrow, and in the future to be , and that is why we do not inhabitants live in the territory of Pre - competent to help our society that speak the Serbian language. Teachers needs them badly. 5 Minority News News A Public Call for the Allocation of Funds from the Budget Fund for National Minorities Announced Izvor: Ministarstvo državne uprave i lokalne samouprave

n May 7, the Ministry the promotion of information in the of Public Administra - languages of national minorities of the tion and Local Govern - media and programs in the languages ment issued a public of national minorities. " call for the allocation of funds from tOhe Budget Fund for financing pro - The Call for Proposals is open until grams and projects in the area of June 5, 2018, and the right of partici - information in the languages of pation is provided to institutions, as - national minorities in 2018. sociations, foundations, companies and other organizations founded by Minister of Public Administration national councils of national minorities, and Local Self-Government, Branko civil society organizations with head - Ružić, said on this occasion that quarters in the territory of the Republic this Fund was activated last year of Serbia and whose scope of activities after 15 years of existence, noting is protection and promotion of the that, in 2018, 21.8 million dinars were pro - position of national minorities. We have rights and the position of members of na - vided for this purpose, which is 12 times prepared amendments to the regulations tional minorities, as well as endowments, more than in the previous year. that improve the framework for the reali - foundations and conferences of universities, zation of the rights of our national mino - or academies of vocational studies. "The Ministry is doing a lot to improve the rities, and this Fund aims to contribute to Public Debate on the Draft Law on Amendments to the Law on National Councils of National Minorities Completed Source: Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government

he Ministry of Public Admini - and in Belgrade on April 16, 2018, at - proposals submitted by the participants stration and Local Self-Go - tended by representatives of state bo - in the public debate. vernment conducted a public dies, independent bodies, national coun - debate on the Draft Law on cils of national minorities, international A number of specific remarks, suggestions Amendments to the Law on National organizations and civil society organi - and proposals were not able to be ac - CoTuncils of National Minorities from zations. cepted by the Ministry because they are March 29 to April 18, 2018. not in the spirit of the concept on which State bodies, bodies of AP Vojvodina, the law is based or because they signifi - During the public debate, the text of the national councils of national minorities, cantly differ from systemic, especially Draft Law was published on the website political parties and movements, citizens' Constitutional solutions, as well recom - of the Ministry of Public Administration associations and individuals participated mendaitons by the Constitutional Court and Local Self-Government, the Portal in the public debate. Sixteen e-mail mes - and relevant international bodies. of e-Government and the Office for Coo - sages with remarks, suggestions, and peration with Civil Society, and all inte - proposals on the Draft Law were sub - Upon completion of the public hearing, rested parties were prompted to submit mitted to the e-mail address of the Mi - the Ministry of State Administration and their remarks, suggestions, and proposals nistry of Public Administration and Local Local Self-Government made a Report to the Ministry via its electronic and Self-Government. on the Conducted Public Debate on the postal address. Draft Law on Amendments to the Law The Ministry of Public Administration on National Councils of National Mino - During the public hearing, two round - and Local Self-Government has consi - rities, which is available on the Ministry's tables were held, in Kučevo on April 11 dered all comments, suggestions and website. 6 Minority News News The Government Continues the Policy of Respecting the Rights of National

MinoritieSs ource: Office for Human and Minority Rights he Prime Minister of the Re - Prime Minister pointed out, explaining that, Minister of Public Administration and Local public of Serbia, Ana Brnabić, in this way, the citizens and the economy Self-Government, Branko Ružić, reminded stated that the Council for Na - will be given efficient and easily accessible that, at the last session of the Council, it tional Minorities is of great im - services provided by the state. was decided that information in the lan - portance for our country and that the Go - guages of national minorities should re - veTrnment's policy is based on tolerance, The Prime Minister also reminded that the main a priority area for financing in 2018. respect for the rights of national minorities public debate on the Draft Law on Amend - The funds from the Budget Fund for Na - and their integration into the wider social ments to the Law on National Councils of tional Minorities were earmarked for this community. National Minorities was conducted in the purpose in the amount of 21.8 million di - period from March 29 to April 18. State nars, which is 12 times more than in the Brnabić, who held the Council's previous year. session for the third time on May 10, stressed that the level To this end, Ružić said that, of discrimination against mi - on May 7, a call was issued nority groups and members for the allocation of funds of national communities is in from the Budget Fund for decline, but, in order to beco - National Minorities for pro - me a fully inclusive society, we grams and projects in the have much more to do. field of information in the languages of national mino - She briefed representatives of rities for 2018. national councils of national minorities on the significance of the Address bodies, AP Vojvodina authorities, national Acting Director of the Office for Human Register Project, jointly implemented by councils of national minorities, political and Minority Rights, Suzana Paunović, the Republic Geodetic Authority, the Post parties and movements, associations, ci - presented the Sixth Report on the Imple - of Serbia, the Standing Conference of Towns tizens and individuals participated in the mentation of the Action Plan for the Rea - and Municipalities and Local Self-Govern - public debate. lization of the Rights of National Minorities, ments. The updating of the Address Register pointing out that the Seventh Report is is another important step towards the in - Brnabić stressed that the plan is to hold being prepared, and that the presentation troduction of the state order and the mo - elections for national councils of national of the Seventh Report is scheduled for dernization of the state administration, the minorities by the end of this year. early June. Controversial Literary Contest

s a result to the strionng re acStion uarndd theu dayl oif ctraansfe rrCing atheinr sacredel"Al Cehrisd tian Orthodox Church, instead of of the public in Bulgaria and relics to the Memorial Cemetery in Surdu - preaching love and understanding among the Bulgarian national minority lica. As further stated, the Holy Martyrs of believers, descends to the level of political in Serbia, caused by a compe - Surdulica "were killed by a Bulgarian crime propaganda using, in short, the controversial tition for students for the best literary or in the First World War in the area of sout - military propaganda misinformation from aArtistic work "Fatherland and Freedom - heastern Serbia, Vardar Serbia and Kosovo the time of the First World War, resorting, Past, Present and Future", which was an - in Surdulica - a central mass killing field at the same time, to the problematic geo - nounced by the Organizing Committee for from 1915 to 1918". The call for participation graphical names such as Vardar Serbia ", Marking the First Slava of the Saint Surdulica in the contest was submitted to all schools Nikolov points out. Martyrs, Technical School "Nikola Tesla" in in Serbia, including regions with Bulgarian Surdulica, and Church Surdulica municipality, population, as well as schools in the Republic According to the Radio Television Caribrod, the contest was cancelled on May 8th. of Srpska. the cancellation of the contest was made possible as a result of the engagement and Namely, the organizer stated in the invitation According to the journalist Ivan Nikolov, in coordination of the Deputy Prime Minister that the competition was organized on the addition to the problems of pedagogical for Justice and Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria, occasion of marking the first slava of the nature, the missing historical facts, as well Ekaterina Zaharieva, and the Bulgarian Am - newly-consecrated Holy Martyrs of Surdulica as the problem of moral nature, are notable. bassador to Serbia, Radko Vlajkov. 7 Minority News News The Ombudsman and the Bulgarian Ambassador Sign the Grant Agreement Source: Ombudsman n May 3, the Om - The Ombudsman has so budsman, Zoran far received 78 complaints Pašalić, signed an from citizens from Dimi - agreement with trovgrad, who mostly the Ambassador of the Repu - complain about violation bOlic of Bulgaria to Belgrade, of rights in the field of pro - Radko Vlajkov, in Dimitrovgrad, perty protection and com - on a grant for the implemen - pliance with the law. In tation of the project "Increa - the area of the rights of sing the Ombudsman's Avai - national minorities, citi - lability to Citizens Living in the zens point to the problems Interior of Serbia". The signing they encounter in the pro - of the agreement was also at - cess of recognition of fo - tended by the Bulgarian Om - reign diplomas and edu - budsman, Maja Manolova. cation. bilities in this area, Pašalić pointed out. Extending appreciation to the Embassy The Ombudsman Zoran Pašalić and the of the Republic of Bulgaria for support, The Ombudsman Institution must be ac - Ombudsman of the Republic of Bulgaria Pašalić said that the implementation of cessible to all citizens of Serbia, including Maja Manolova discussed improvement the project is aimed at strengthening the those in smaller communities, Pašalić of cooperation between the two institu - culture of human rights, social justice said, adding that during visits to cities tions in the field of protection of human and commitment to European principles and municipalities, in addition to receiving and minority rights. as key democratic values. Furthermore, complaints from citizens on the work of it is critically important to inform the pu - public authorities, they will also talk with In conversation with representatives of blic about the concept of human rights, representatives of municipal and city aut - civil society, which followed the signing as well as the Ombudsman's responsi - horities about exercising right of their ci - of the agreement, the problems that ci - tizens at the local level. tizens face daily were presented. Certificates Awarded to Students of the AID Academy he Forum for Ethnic Rela - tions, in cooperation with the Higher School for Business Economics and Entreprene - urship (PEP), and the ERMA program, STarajevo-Forli, with the support of the Embassy of the Republic of Bulgaria in Belgrade, conducted training for young experts - researchers in the field of in - terethnic, intercultural and interconfes - sional dialogue. The participants of the Academy for Interethnic, Interconfes - sional and Intercultural Dialogue - AID, who successfully completed the winter cluster, received certificates Tuesday, lations, whose projects have been fina - cipants, who, according to Verka Jo - May 8, at the Embassy of the Republic ncially supported for several years. As vanovic, program assistant on the pro - of Bulgaria in Belgrade. He was also pre - he said, Serbia is a country of numerous ject and, at the same time, one of the sent at the ceremony. Ambassador of minorities, in which there are still some participants in the Academy, came the Republic of Bulgaria Radko Vlajkov. prejudices, and young people are the from different regions of Serbia, which, ones who should contribute to these according to her words, only contri - The Ambassador emphasized that the prejudices disappearing. buted to the understanding of the Embassy of Bulgaria highly appreciates idea of multiculturality and multieth - the activity of the Forum for Ethnic Re - Certificates were awarded to 9 parti - nicity. 8 Minority News News Contracts for Promotion of Multilingualism in AP Vojvodina Awarded Source: Provincial Government n April 16, the President tional minorities, through increasing of the Provincial Govern - the financial and technical capacity ment, Igor Mirović, and to apply official and any other use the Deputy Prime Mini - of minority languages and scripts in ster of the Provincial Government the territory of Vojvodina. aOnd the Provincial Secretary for Edu - cation, Regulations, Administration The President of the Provincial Go - and National Minorities - National vernment announced that, as of July Communities, Mihalj Njilaš, awarded 2018, there will be enough transla - contracts on the allocation of budget tors in the system of provincial ad - funds to bodies and organizations ministration to meet the needs of from the territory of AP Vojvodina, deputies and services, and that, for in which the languages and scripts the first time, the translation of ge - of national minorities are in official neral acts into the languages of na - use. we must apply at all times in Vojvodina, tional minorities will be carried out. which remind us of the famous names For this purpose, funds were provided of members of national minorities who Vice President Njilaš said that the con - in the total amount of 9,5 million dinars, created in their language and script test has been held for more than 10 and pronounced the glo - years in order to improve the rights of ry of our country. members of national minorities in re - gard to the official use of language and "The essence is impor - script. tant – and the essence is in unity, in the life we "Since multiculturalism and multieth - share, in emphasizing nicity, and multilingualism as their cha - the values that belong racteristic, are among the greatest to everyone, because wealth of our Vojvodina, and we are, the values of national as such, recognizable everywhere in communities are our Europe, even in the world, it is impor - common values and the tant to preserve, nurture and improve values of the majority this wealth, and we can do this only if are the values of each we are united in achieving this goal," which were, following a public com - national community," Mihalj Njilaš said, adding that one of petition, distributed to 83 bodies and Mirović said, adding that we must show the 11 chapters of the Action Plan for organizations, in order to train em - it through different gestures, from the the Chapter 23 Negotiationsof the Re - ployees to use the language of national presence in marking significant dates public of Serbia refers to the use of minorities, to develop the system of and personalities of members of na - languages and scripts. electronic administration in conditions of multilingualism, for multilingual signs with names of settlements, streets, authorities, and public notices, as well as for printing multilingual forms and publications. Referring to the importance of exerci - sing the rights of members of national minorities to the official use of their language and script, President Mirović emphasized that this is only a part of the public policy towards national mi - norities, which is implemented in dif - ferent segments and represents one of the most important priorities of the Provincial Government. He pointed to some common goals, calling them civilizational values that 9 Minority News News Presentation of the Publication "Challenges of Minority Policy in Bilateral and Regional Cooperation" Source: Forum for Ethnic Relations / Media Center Photo: Media Center

he Forum for Ethnic Relations, more difficulties, because, according to Ne - Despite attempts by the highest represen - with the support of the Open nad Djurdjević, Director of the Forum for tatives of Serbia and Croatia to improve re - Society Foundation in Serbia, Ethnic Relations, the consequences of the lations between the two countries, many prepared a publication titled 1990s conflict are still felt. He noted that people in both countries are sceptical that "Challenges of Minority Policy in Bilateral issues related to national minorities, in al - these relations will eventually improve,"Djur - aTnd Regional Cooperation", which was pre - most all countries, are frequently abused djevic said, adding that there are no major sented to the public on May 9th. problems in Serbia's relations with The purpose of the publication is , Bulgaria and Romania, while to point out the basic elements and cooperation with Bosnia and Herze - basic processes that have an impact govina, not counting the Republic of on the implementation of a proac - Srpska, almost does not exist. tive integrative minority policy in Member of the Board of Directors of the Republic of Serbia, as well as to the Forum for Ethnic Relations and a point out the possibilities for ehna - diplomat, Zoran Milivojević, believes ncement of the protection of the that the action plans do not adequately rights and integration of national address the position of national mi - minorities, and thus the relations norities in Serbia, and that their position with neighbors in bilateral and re - and development of good neighborly gional cooperation and the overall relations will be among the most im - process of integration into the Eu - portant issues on the Serbian path to - ropean Union. Special attention is wards European Union. paid to the mutual influence of the "Based on the latest EU Strategy for interests of the states, both the home state in internal politics, despite the frequent need for politicians to portray them publicly the Western Balkans, it is clear that this and the country where national minorities issue will be crucial. Our neighbors will not live, on the one hand, and the interests of as bridges connecting countries, which is, according to him, misleading. give up national rhetoric, nor the one con - nations and national minorities (ethnicities), cerning the position of minorities, these is - on the other. "The revision of history, and the appearance sues are part of their relationship to us, but Serbia tends to develop relations with the of neo-fascist organizations, significantly also of our relations towards them," Mili - countries of the former with jeopardize our relations with our neighbors. vojević said. 10 Minority News The participants in the round table poin - of the team of experts of the Forum for ted out that national minorities should Ethnic Relations on the implementation not represent the bridge of cooperation of the project "Integrative Policies and between the two countries, but should the Position of National Minorities". The be part of an integrative good neighborly aim of this project is to contribute to policy and that minorities should not be the successful and efficient implemen - not used for political gain in internal po - tation of the Action Plan of the Republic litics. of Serbia for strengthening the position Dr. Siniša Tatalović, former adviser to of national minorities, as well as to im - Croatian President Ivo Josipović, pointed prove relations between the Republic out that it is extremely difficult to the of Serbia and neighboring countries, Serbs in Croatia to exercise the right to thus strengthening the process of inte - official use of language and script in local gration of Serbia into the European governments because Serbs must make Union. up more than 33% of the population in The team of experts consisted of Zoran order to be able to exercise this right. Milivojević (Expert Team Leader), Dušan "The Croatian and the Serbian minorities, cordance with the Declaration on the Pro - Janjić (Project Manager), Darko Baštova - if we look at them from the perspective of motion of Relations and Open Issues bet - novic, Aleksandar Dimitrov, Duško Lopan - one country or another, are different from ween the Republic of Croatia and Serbia. dić, Dragomir Radenković, Dr Siniša Tata - the others. These are minorities that in the The publication is the result of the work lović; expert consultant was Dr. Stefano nineties suffered greatly and suffered great Bianchini; the editor of the analysis was demographic changes. Therefore, these Nenad Djurdjević, and the assistant to the communities should be treated with more expert team was Verka Jovanović. care and sensitivity than the others. Today, The round table was attended by repre - not only are they confronted with typical sentatives of national councils of national minority problems, but also with elementary minorities, representatives of the National living and human problems" Tatalović said. Assembly and the Government of the Re - Representative of the Croatian National public of Serbia, representatives of state Council, Darko Baštovanović, said that the bodies of the Republic of Serbia and AP Croats in Serbia expect to receive guaranteed Vojvodina, representatives of independent seats in the executive branch and that their institutions, civil society, experts and re - representatives also participate in the Pro - presentatives of embassies of neighboring vincial and Republican Government, in ac - EU member states.

Fewer Primary School Pupils than Last Year Source: Provincial Government

n its May 9 session, the Pro - mentary music schools, two ballet schools, self-governments: in , Subotica, vincial Government reviewed two schools for elementary adult education, Pančevo, , Vrbas, data on primary education and five private elementary schools and one and . Teaching is carried upbringing of students, with private elementary ballet school . out in the mother tongues: Serbian, Hun - special emphasis on education in the lan - garian and Croatian and in foreign langua - guaIges of national minorities in the school In primary schools in the territory of AP ges: English, German, Russian and French. year 2017/18 year and on the implemen - Vojvodina, in addition to teaching in the tation of bilingual education in elementary Serbian language, classes are also conduc - During the School 2017/18 Year, bilingual and secondary schools in the territory of ted in five other languages: Hungarian, Slo - teaching included 14 schools: 10 primary AP Vojvodina. vak, Romanian, Ruthenian and Croatian. schools and four grammar schools, with a Pupils are also provided with classes where total of 1,066 pupils, deployed in 49 clas - Elementary education and training in AP they can study Hungarian, Slovak, Roma - ses. Vojvodina is realized in 345 regular com - nian, Ruthenian and Croatian languages, pulsory elementary schools, attended by as well as six other languages: Ukrainian, The provincial government, during 2017, 144,090 pupils, which is for 1,986 students Bunjevac, Romany, Bulgarian, Macedonian financed primary and secondary schools (1.36%) less than in the previous school and Czech, which is a total of 11 languages that implement bilingual education in AP year. in the elective classes for the subject - Mot - Vojvodina in the amount of 4,800,000.00 her Tongue / Speech with Elements of Na - dinars. In addition to regular primary education, tional Culture. primary education is provided in 13 special The Pedagogical Institute of Vojvodina is primary schools for the education of pupils Bilingual teaching in the territory of Voj - in the process of evaluating the project of with disabilities and special needs, 21 ele - vodina is being implemented in seven local bilingual teaching.

11 Minority News News The EU Preserves and Nourishes National Cultures, Languages and Cultural Heritage Source: Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Serbia ith its membership in the Eu - This makes this sector very important der to be able to deal with them, we ropean Union, Serbia, as it from the point of view of the economy," need patience and time," Pasztor added. is the case with all other Presa added. countries, will not lose its The conference was attended by a large national, linguistic and cul - President of the Assembly of AP Vojvo - number of experts in the field of conser - tural identity; moreover, the European dina, Istvan Pasztor, pointed out that cul - vation of cultural heritage from Italy, Ro - UWnion supports and encourages the pre - tural heritage, preservation of cultural mania, Austria, France, Slovenia and Croa - servation of cultural identity, which can identity and fostering multiculturalism tia. President of the Institute of the Re - be seen from the fact that it invests in are topics that are permanently in focus, gions of Europe, prof. Dr Franz Schaus - the reconstruction of important cultural especially in Vojvodina, and that the con - berger, pointed out that it is very impor - and historical monuments throughout ference is significant due to international tant for Serbia, in the process of EU in - the country through numerous programs, character, which provides an opportunity tegration, to show the citizens of the Eu - was highlighted at the conference "Cul - to hear different experiences in conne - ropean Union that the cultural heritage tural Heritage - an Added Value for the ction with the preservation of cultural here is a part of European culture, too. Regions", held in the Assembly of the heritage. He concluded that it is very important Autonomous Province of Vojvodina on April 27. The conference was organized by the In - stitute of the Regions of Europe from Salzburg and the European Affairs Fund of AP Vojvodina, and local and foreign cultural stakeholders and international cultural heritage experts discussed the most effective ways of preserving cultural heritage, financing, examples of good practice, regional cultural heritage, and the ways in which it can be preserved and improved. "Erasmus, Creative Europe, Horizon 2020 are just some of the European Union's programs through which projects in the field of preservation of cultural heritage are financed. There are cross-border coo - peration programs, and, when we see the examples of the Fortress in , the in Subotica, the Franciscan "The common position of the speaker at that the public be informed that there Monastery in Bač and many others that the conference is that preserving cultural is no danger of losing identity or the im - have been renewed with the help of EU heritage is not about looking back, but portance of culture and language when funds, we can conclude how important about saving the values for the future. I Serbia becomes a member of the EU. this area is," the Head of Information, think that preserving cultural heritage is Communication and the Media in the EU essentially the ambition of creating a pe - "On the contrary. I have been active for Delegation to Serbia, Paul Prese said. riod of a permanent renaissance, because 25 years at the European level and can the Renaissance was nothing else than tell you that all languages are used more "We are aware of the importance of pre - restoring the roots and giving these roots, than official languages. If a Catalan re - serving cultural heritage, in the context that cultural heritage, new dimensions. presentative does not want to speak Spa - of cultivating diversity, but its economic We have a huge task arising from two nish, he can speak Catalan and have it significance somehow remains hidden. circumstances - on the one hand, we translated. There is no fear that your lan - Let me share some information with you have a very rich cultural heritage in this guage or identity will be lost. The Euro - - over 300,000 people are employed in area, and on the other hand, I think that pean Union motto is 'United in Diversity' the Cultural Heritage Sector in the Euro - in the past period we had narrow and and it is very important to foster your pean Union, and 7.8 million jobs are in insufficient opportunities to deal with it. local identity and the EU will support it," some way related to cultural heritage. So now we have a lot of tasks, and in or - he said. 12 Minority News Albanian Community / Bosniak Community Memorandum of Cooperation Signed between the Bosniak National Council and the National Council of the Albanian

National Minority Source: BNV he Bosniak National Council Albanian National Minority, a historic implementation of the Action Plan for and the National Council of moment when these two councils de - Minorities and the work on the recon - the Albanian National Mino - cided to join forces to protect and re - struction of minority laws that regulate rity signed a Memorandum gulate the rights of our two commu - the future position of minorities are of Cooperation in No - the strategic ob - viT Pazar on April 30. jectives of this Memorandum. It The goal of signing is our obligation this Memorandum is to establish coo - to create a common peration with ot - approach to a com - her minorities in prehensive develop - order to do eve - ment program, esta - rything to build a blish cooperation on normal, modern joint projects, and state where the - plan joint activities in re will be places the sphere of the sco - for all peoples pe of the Councils. and where no one will be sub - "Starting from the jected to ethnic fact that Albanians cleansing and and Bosniaks are indigenous people nities within legal jurisdictions," Alba - where no one will be abused," Ugljanin in the area of the Preševo Valley and nian NMC President Ymeri concluded. emphasized. Sandžak, aware of the seriousness of situation in the Preševo Valley and "The construction of the legal frame - In the end, the President of the Na - Sandžak, we decided to conclude to - work and definitions of the future sta - tional Council of the Albanian National day's memorandum of cooperation. te, as well as the implementation of Minority, Shukri Ymeri, presented a This day is one of the most important all 35 chapters for the accession of our certificate of appreciation to Dr. Su - days for the National Council of the country to the European Union, the lejman Ugljanin.

Macedonian Community 115 Years since the Death of Goce Delčev Marked Source: RTV Pančevo y laying a wreath at the monu - On the occasion of the 115th anni - tatives of the Macedonian Association ment to Goce Delčev, in front versary of the death of Goce Delčev, in Serbia, and representatives of the of the elementary school in Ja - the National Council of the Macedo - town of Pančevo and Commu - buka, 115th anniversary of the nian National Minority organized a nity. death of this Macedonian national educator Day of Remembrance of this Mace - aBnd revolutionary was marked. The wreaths donian revolutionary and national "For the ideals and freedom of the were laid by representatives of the Mace - educator. The flowers were laid on Macedonian people, Goce Delčev gave donian Embassy in Serbia, organizations the memorial bust, located in the yard what is most valuable, his life," Borče and associations of Macedonians in Serbia, of the primary school in Jabuka bea - Veličkovski, President of the National as well as representatives of the city of ring its name, by representatives of Council of the Macedonian National Pančevo and Jabuka Community. the Macedonian Embassy, represen - Minority in Serbia, said. 13 Minority News News Ružić Meets with Representatives of the Aromanians Source: Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government n April 20, Mi - Captain Misha's building, nister of Public the Regional Museum in Administration , etc. and Local Self- Government Branko Ružić Minister Ružić said that, sOpoke with the represen - although at this moment tatives of the Serbian-Aro - there are no conditions manian Society "Lunjina" for the Aromanian com - about the position of this munity to form its natio - minority community and nal council of a national the exercise of their right minority, other mecha - to preserve identity, culture nisms for exercising their and language. rights are available. At the meeting, it was "The Ministry and the pointed out that the Aro - Government clearly re - manians were one of the oldest indige - terature and culture that were of Aro - cognize the contribution of the Aroma - nous Balkan nations that significantly manian origin, such as Borislav Pekić, nian community and advocate the pre - contributed to the building of our society. Branislav Nušić, Jovan Sterija Popović and servation of the tradition, culture and Representatives of the Serbian-Aroma - others. The members of this community language of both the Aromanians and all nian Society "Lunjina" reminded of the have entrusted to Serbia endowments the other small communities in Serbia," prominent representatives of Serbian li - such as the building of today's Rectorate, Ružić said.

Bulgarian Community KUD Caribrod Wins the Special Award of the Director of the "Shopski Naniz 2018"

Festival in Kostinbrod Source: www.far.rs he first ensemble of the Cultu - Winning the award in the com - stival, which, this year, ral-Artistic Society "Caribrod" petition of hundreds of folklore gathered a number of won another award at the 9th groups, vocal soloists and sin - ensembles from diffe - International Folk Festival ging groups with over 2,200 rent ethnographic areas "Shopski Naniz 2018", which took place in participants is a great honor," of Bulgaria, including cul - thTe Bulgarian town of Kostinbrod from April Dalibor Gligorov, Artistic Direc - tural and artistic societies 27 to 29. This year Dimitrovgrad's folk group tor of the Society said. from Dimitrovgrad, Ba - received a special award from the Festival’s bušnica, Gadžin Han and Director. Accompanied by the folk orc - Sokobanja from the Re - hestra, the KUD "Caribrod" pre - public of Serbia. "With the enormous commitment of the sented themselves with cho - entire ensemble, we have won yet another reographies "Ponišavlje" and The festival was organi - significant recognition and completed our "Thrace", while young vocal so - zed by Kostinbrod Mu - rich collection of awards. I think that the loist Helena Stojanov perfor - nicipality, National Libra - prize was also earned by the ruling of a fi - med two folk melodies - "Ah ry "Ivan Vazov - 1947", ve-member expert jury, which consists of kad je e mojo libe" and "Katarina mome". National Library "St. Cyril and Methodius" well-known choreographers, singers and and the National Theater "Zarja - 1914" connoisseurs of folklore creativity, and based Last year, Dimitrovgrad Cultural and Art So - from Kostinbrod. The folklore performers on the reception of the audience. I would ciety "Caribrod" won the award for the best from Dimitrovgrad are now waiting for par - like to thank all of our performers for their foreign ensemble. They won the same prize ticipation in the international folklore festival efforts, as well as the organizers and the in 2015 and 2016, while, in 2014, they won "Nišavski Horovod" in Dragoman on May Director of the Festival, Alexander Nenov. the "Grand Prix" of the "Shopski Naniz" Fe - 20. 14 Minority News Jewish Community The Subotica Synagogue Reconsecrated Source: RTV Pannon he Subotica Sy - commended this ac - nagogue was re - hievement, especially consecrated on since the Subotica Sy - May 7 by cere - nagogue was restored monial setting Torah to its with the cooperation plTace. of the two govern - ments. "It was the se - The Jewish Holy Book, Torah, cond largest synago - was put in its place in the gue of the former renewed synagogue in Su - Hungary. The largest botica during a special re - was a synagogue in consecration ceremony. The Dohanj Street, the se - President of the Jewish Re - cond in size was in Su - ligious Community of Hun - botica, and the third gary, Andras Hajzer, said he in Szeged. A fantastic was happy that the Subotica building has been re - Synagogue, thanks to the help of Serbia Before the reconsecration, a hanukiah, a stored here jointly by the Serbian and and Hungary, again shines with its old nine-branched candelabrum, was officially Hungarian governments. I think that beauty. The President of the Jewish Com - handed over in the yard, representing the this can be an example for Europe as munity of Serbia, Robert Sabadoš, emp - gift of the Jewish Religious Community well. The unique features of the building hasized that, after more than four decades of Hungary to the Subotica Synagogue. have been preserved. This style, this of reconstruction, with the setting up of kind of artistic work, it cannot be matc - Torah, it regained its original religious The President of the Jewish Religious hed in any other building in the world," function. Community of Hungary, Andras Hajzer, Hajzer said. Dragana Milošević Laid a Wreath at the Memorial to the Victims of the Novi Sad Jews Deportation Source: Provincial Government y laying wreaths and flowers Milošević said at the commemorative rally Adam, addressed the audience. On behalf under the memorial plaque on 74 the anniversary of the deportation of the City of Novi Sad, the wreath was at the Novi Sad Synagogue, of Novi Sad Jews to notorious camps. laid by Mayor Milos Vučević. on April 26, the Provincial Se - cretary for Culture, Public Information The commemorative program was orga - The Day of Remembrance of the Depor - anBd Relations with Religious Communities, nized by the Jewish Municipality of Novi tation of Novi Sad Jews in 1944 is marked Dragana Milošević paid tribute to the Sad, and, on this occasion, the chief rabbi every April 26th. Of the 1,900 deported Jews, who died on April 26, 1944. of Serbia, Isak Asiel, and the President of Novi Sad Jews, 1,600 never returned from the Jewish Municipality of Novi Sad, Mirko the Nazi concentration camps. "The Day of Remembrance of the De - portation of Novi Sad Jews, exactly 74 years ago, reminds us of the horrors and sufferings that our fellow citizens experienced, when they were taken to the death camps, and most notably to the notorious Auschwitz. Today we have gathered together to pay homa - ge to those who were killed because they were of other religion and other nationality. The Day of Remembrance of the suffering of these innocent peo - ple is a warning to the generations to come to show the beauty of universal living values, the right to religion and diversity, in order to ensure that these horrors never happen again," Dragana 15 Minority News Hungarian Community / Albanian Community Consultations on Work of National

Minority Councils and Minority MSourcee: RTdV Piana non n April 26, in Subotica, a con - tional Minority Council briefed their Al - sphere of minority education and the sultation was held between banian colleagues on their work, espe - media into their programs, because the leaders of the Hungarian cially on the situation in the media, on they have many shortcomings in that and Albanian National Mi - minority education, as well as on the area. Albanian NMC President Shukri nority Councils (NMCs) on minority is - competencies of NMCs. The President Ymeri said that he appreciated the pos - sOues and the work of national councils. of the Hungarian NMC, Jene Hajnal, sibility to talk to the representatives of said that these issues included the met - the Hungarian NMC about the issues Representatives of the national minority hod of selecting headmasters in schools, of education, culture, and information, councils of the Hungarian and Albanian provision of textbooks, the school ne - and how to exercise the rights provided national minorities in Serbia jointly held twork, activities of the Hungarian NMC, by the law. "I can say that we are in a worse position on these issues," Ymeri said. The talks were held in the presence of representatives of the OSCE Delegation in Serbia, whose associates consider it important that there is a constant dia - logue between national minorities living in the state. According to them, the work of the Hungarian NMC could be an example to other minorities. OSCE Adviser, Milica Rodić, says that the Hun - garian NMC is most active and its work is most visible. In spite of the fact that the communities and national minority councils face numerous problems, she says that she believes that many good talks with representatives of the Dele - implementation of the Council’s plan, results can be applied in the work of gation of the European Organization cooperation with local self-governments other national councils, who are facing for Security and Cooperation in Serbia. and institutions, etc. even more problems. The discussion focused on the status of minority media and the work of Representatives of the Albanian Natio - Representatives of Pannon RTV, "Het NMCs. nal Minority Council said that, in the Nap" and "Magyar Szo" took part in the first place, they want to incorporate part of the consultations dedicated to Representatives of the Hungarian Na - the Vojvodina experiences from the the media.

Hungarian Community Educational Equipment for "Paulinum" and Music School Source. www.vajma.info n the educational policy of schools in Subotica. presents to the Music School in Subo - the Hungarian National Mi - tica. nority Council, one of prio - The President of the Executive Board rities is support to grammar of the Hungarian National Minority Thanks to this campaign, with the schools and art secondary schools, Council, Aniko Jeras, and Marta Pet - funds granted by the Hungarian Go - andI, on April 24, in accordance with kovič, a member of this body, visited vernment and the Betlen Gabor Foun - this policy and thanks to the material the Classical Bishop Grammar School dation, 1,165,000 dinars are available assistance from Hungary, the Council and Pupils’ Dormitory "Paulinum" and to the Hungarian National Minority presented packages with modern edu - handed over the gift packages, and Council for educational technical sup - cational technical means to two the same delegation also delivered port to schools in Vojvodi na. 16 Minority News Roma Community Second Session of the Coordination Body for Monitoring of the Implementation of the Strategy for Social Inclusion of Roma Men and Women in the Republic of Serbia Source: National Council of the Roma National Minority he improvement of the position of Roma men and Roma wo - lusion of the Roma community in the position of the Roma na - men in our society, and this is our society in which all members are tional community in the main goal," Mihajlović said. equal," Mihajlović said. fields of education, em - ployment, health care and housing The Deputy Prime Minister presented Tefik Ramadanović, President of the wTere the topics of the session of the today the members of the Coordi - National Council of the Roma Natio - Coordination Body for Monitoring nation Body with an initiative to abo - nal Minority, thanked the Deputy of the Implementation of the Stra - lish the quota for enrolling members Prime Minister for her efforts to im - tegy for Social Inclusion prove the situation of of Roma Men and Wo - Roma men and Roma men in the Republic of women in Serbia. Serbia, held on April 24, chaired by the Deputy "The National Council re - Prime Minister, Zorana cognizes the Serbian Go - Mihajlović. vernment as the most important partner in ef - "We have started many forts to reduce the dis - important activities, so - crimination and stereo - me have already been types that exist towards implemented, while ot - Roma. We will give full hers are in progress. We contribution to improve have worked on impro - the position of our mi - ving living conditions, nority. The initiative to we have, for the first ti - abolish enrollment quo - me, signed a cooperation agreement of the Roma community in high tas is a major step forward, so that with the Roma National Minority schools and faculties, which was una - all of our children who want to learn Council as the state, we have achie - nimously adopted. have the opportunity to do that," ved results in the field of education, Ramadanović said. and today we have hundreds of Ro - "If we want to tackle the discrimi - ma youths who graduate from the nation and prejudices that exist in Director of the Office for Human and faculties, we have a number of health our society, it is important that all Minority Rights, Suzana Paunović, mediators, we have adopted a stra - Roma men and women who pass the and Head of the Negotiating Team tegy and an action plan. But this is entrance exam are allowed to enroll for EU Accession, Tanja Miščević, not enough. The Government of Ser - faculties. In this way, we contribute agreed that today's session is very bia is committed to improving the in the long term to the greater inc - important for further process of im - proving the position of the Roma community in Serbia, but also the next steps in Serbia's accession to the European Union . The session of the Coordination Body was also attended by representatives of the Ministries of Finance, Health, Public Administration and Local Self- Government, Justice, Construction, Transport and Infrastructure, the UN Human Rights Team, the Social Inc - lusion and Poverty Reduction Team, the EU Delegation to Serbia, as well as representatives of the National Council of the Roma National Mino - rity. 17 Minority News Slovak Community Portraits of Mihail Djurovka Photo: Hlas ljudu he exhibition "Por - of the exhibition, who suc - traits" by academic cessfully presents his work painter Mihail Djurov - in Slovakia. The latest ex - ka from Kisač opened hibition contains portraits on April 28 at the Zuzka Medve - created during the pain - đoTva Gallery in Bački Petrovac. ter’s studies, as well as tho - Previously, the exhibition adorned se that, as Valenčik stres - the galleries in Kovačica and Ki - sed, were created the day sač. before the exhibition in Pe - trovac. The participants were greeted by Ana Seč Pinčir, Director of the The exhibition was fina - Slovaks, and the Vladimir Valenčik, an art critic, talked ncially supported by the National exhibition was opened by Rina Krulj, an more about portraits. He emphasized Council of the Slovak National Mino - academic painter and, at the same time, that the exhibition contains 220 por - rity and the Municipality of Bački Pe - Djurovka's colleague from the studies. traits of people close to the author trovac. The Province Helps Projects of the

Slovak National Minority Source: RTV wo projects of importance for Secretariat for Culture, Public Information Theater Production, which will be co-fi - the culture and art of the Slo - and Relations with Religious Communities, nanced with 50.000 dinars. vak national minority in the are the 49th Festival of Amateur Theater municipality of , Works of Slovaks "Theater Laurel", sup - Both projects are implemented by the out of the total of 16 in AP Vojvodina, ported with the amount of 85.000 dinars, Slovak Cultural and Art Society "Hero wThich will be co-financed by the Provincial and the 25th Festival of Slovak Children's Janko Čmelik" in Stara Pazova.

Ruthenian Community The Building Used by the Ruthenian

Cultural Center to Be DemolishedSo uSrceo: Ruotennpres t the session of the Steering Construction company "Artec group" DOO solution must be found for unimpeded Board of the Novi Sad Ruthe - has collected the necessary documentation work of the Ruthenian Cultural Center. nian Cultural and, in late June, they will start He added that he hopes that, in light of Center, the Pre - with demolition of the existing buil - many years of tradition and cooperation, sident of the Board of Di - ding and preparation of the site the Church will foresee a space for the reActors, Vladimir Ivan, the for the construction of a new buil - work of the Center in the new building, Chairman of the Church ding at 10 Jovana Subotića St, whe - too. Committee of the Novi Sad re the offices used by the Ruthe - Greek Catholic Parish of the nian Cultural Center are located. As stated at the session, the “Veselinka“ Holy Apostles Peter and Children's Festival, regardless of the new Paul, and the member of According to the President of the situation, will be held on June 9th, as plan - the Board of the Ruthenian Managing Board of the Ruthenian ned. Cultural Center, Borislav Sakač, and the Di - Cultural Center, Vladimir Ivan, building lo - rector of the Center, Nataša Makaji Mudroh, cated at the number 8 in the same street, In the forthcoming period, the move of informed Board members that part of the where the Ruthenian company "Matka" Center will also have to be organized, and building which is used by the Ruthenian is located, will not be safe for use until the Center appeals to all members and Cultural Center, owned by the church, will the investor begins to build a new building supporters to respond in as many numbers be demolished at the end of June this year. at the number 10, so, during that time, a as possible to help with the move. 18 Minority News Bunjevac Community

Consecration of Grain in SLouerce:m Bunjeevacš Media Center n organization of BKC "Lemeški nority Council (BNMC): Mirko Bajić - " from Svetozar Miletić, the president of the BNMC Executive and with support of the UK "Bu - Board, Kata Kuntić - the president of njevac Culture Center" and the the BNMC Culture Committee, Branko Bunjevac National Minority Council, April Pokornić - member of the BNMC Exe - 25, tIhe Day of St. Marko, was ceremoniously cutive Board, and other members of marked. the Bunjevac institutions and the citi - zens of Lemeš, who came to visit Mar - According to tradition and customs, the holy kovo. Mass was served in the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Lemeš. The St. Marko Day ritual is based on the belief that the power of this Saint Rev. Egedi Antal performed the blessing of all the fields of the fertile Bačka. will protect the grain from the bad weat - grain on the field of Marija Maravić in Lemeš. her. There is a plan to preserve the cu - According to the church ritual, turning to all Among the attendees were the repre - stom of grain blessing and bring this tra - four sides of the world, the parish blessed sentatives of the Bunjevac National Mi - dition closer to the younger generations. "Be Literate - Didactic Literacy Is the Future" n the organiza - The training is held at the tion of the Bu - Information Center of the njevac Youth Bunjevac Youth Center in Center, under cooperation with the priva - the slogan: "Be Literate - te school "Gaudeamus". DidaIctic Literacy is the Fu - ture", the basic informa - The training is free of char - tics training started for ge and aims at preparing pupils who attend the fourth-grade pupils for IT class “Bunjevac Language classes, introduced in with Elements of National schools as a compulsory Culture“ in their schools. fifth-grade course. Children Workshop "Magic of Masks" n May 3, the Bunjevac Youth Center and UG "Bunjevac Ka - sina" held a children’s wor - kshop "The Magic of Masks" in the premises of the Gaudeamus "Stu - dOio M" in Subotica. The theme of this workshop was related to making childrens’s masks from various materials. The goal of the workshop is participation of the children in the ma - nifestation "Night of Museums", as they will have the opportunity to exhibit their works in the program of "KUD Bunjevka", which will be held on May 19th. This workshop was attended by the pupils of the elementary school "Sveti Sava" from Subotica with the teacher Mirjana Lončarević. 19 Minority News Czech Community Training on How to Use “European“ Money to Solve Problems of Our Society Source: National Council of the Czech National Minority he training en - children of Czech nationality titled "Funding of pre-school and school age Possibilities in the cultural and social life through EU of the environment, the se - Funds" was held in Bela Cr - cond problem that the par - kvTa from April 25 to 27 in ticipants recognized in their cooperation with the Euro - environment was the lack of pean Union Fund of the Au - network of capacities to offer tonomous Province of Voj - tourist services and products vodina and the National for Czech tourists in the Banat Council of the Czech Natio - area on the Romanian and nal Community. Serbian sides, and the third project proposal focused on During the three-day trai - the lack of capacity to pro - ning, the participants got mote old Czech cuisine in the the opportunity to acquire territory of Banat. basic skills in writing IPA pro - jects under cross-border cooperation nancial problems of the Council, the coo - As a part of the newly acquired know - programs between countries. This will peration was realized in order to explain ledge, the participants learned the ter - serve as a starting point for further trai - to members of the Council the possibi - minology used in writing IPA projects, ning on this topic, in order to form a way lities for applying for significant funds including the terms such as the priority of thinking in solving the social problems that could be withdrawn from Europe in axis, what is the overall goal of the pro - with which the students daily meet in order to improve the functioning of the ject and what are the specific goals, then their surrounding, as one of the trainers, Council. On this occasion, he noted that they had the opportunity to learn how the expert associate for European pro - he had personally initiated the idea of to test their idea of how to approach jects of the Fund "European Affairs" of the preparation of the logical matrix the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, through the tree problems and tree Dejana Luković, explained. goals, which lay down the "project in small", that is, summarize the entire "In the course of the training, a practical project, and many other useful skills in part has been organized, which aims at this field. preparing participants for drafting of in - dependent project proposals, directing After the narrative part of the project them to think about potential partner preparation, the participants were most institutions and teaching them how to interested in the financial part, that is, approach the development of the project the budgeting, so the third day of training structure through the preparation of a was dedicated to this topic. After theo - logical matrix and preparation of the pro - retical explanation of budgeting, the ject budget, which will result in project tasks were assigned to participants to ideas that will represent significant ex - implement the newly acquired know - perience for students ", Luković said, founding the Association of Czechs in ledge and get answers to their questions. pointing out that the task of the lecturers Novi Sad, and concluded that better con - An independent expert in the European is to bring to each individual a new, pro - ditions for the work of the National Coun - Affairs Fund, Jano Puskar, led this part ject-based way of thinking. cil will certainly help to improve the po - of the training, stating that the project sition of the Czech minority in Vojvodi - budgeting is an integral and very impor - As everyone is well aware of the problem na. tant part of each project. of lack of financial resources for ensuring the smooth functioning of the national The training was opened by the President "External sources of multinational fina - minority councils, including the National of the National Council of the Czech Na - ncing, such as IPA cross-border coope - Council of the Czech National Minority, tional Community, prof. dr. Jože Sivaček, ration programs, are a significant op - the Council initiated cooperation with and the training was attended by mem - portunity to fund certain regular activi - the Fund with the desire to improve its bers of the Council from the territory of ties or projects that users want to im - work. According to the Head of the Com - Bela Crkva and the surrounding towns. plement," Puškar said, praising the work munication Service with the non-govern - of a group of participants in this course, mental sector, local self-governments A total of 18 participants were divided adding that it is always a pleasure for and the Republic and Provincial autho - into three groups each of which had lecturers to work in groups who are in - rities in the European Affairs Fund, Milan their own theme: one was based on the terested in getting involved in the dis - Čežek, after they had learned of the fi - problem of insufficient involvement of cussion. 20 Minority News PublikacijuThe issu podržavaance of t hFondacijae newslett zae rotvoreno is suppo rdruštvo,ted by th Ambasadae Ministry Sjedinjenihof Foreign A Američkihffairs of th Državae Repu bizl iBeogradac of Bulga riia. MisijaOpini oOEBSns ex up rSrbiji.essed Mišljenja in the ne objavljenawsletter d ou nbiltenuot nec eness apredstavljajurily represen tnužno the o ffizvaničnecial pos istavovetons of tvladahe do nor. i organizacija koje finansiraju projekat