Regulations on First Report on the Registration of Minority Implementation of the Action Parties Should Plan for Minorities Presented Be Reconsidered

30 Minority Nenovwember 2s 016

Kujundzic-Ostojic: We Are Dealing Bravely with Problems and Consequences The Bosniak Minority and Local National Council Media as an Investment /BNV/ marked Day in Social Integration of the Sandzak IZDVAJAMOHIGHLIGHT EUVODNIKDITORIAL 24 30 A Positive Report on the ImpRusinilemen obeležavajutation of the A ZaštoPositi vSrđane Res ui zaštolt of P danas?rogress ActioNacionalnin Plan for M praznikinorities WU društvimae could call ogrezlimthis mon tuh samozadovoljenju,a month of progre salijenacijis reports io skep6-n our Centar za promociju ljudskih i ccizmuountry prema on its p svemuath to t hdrugačijem,e European gdeUnio sun. 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Wmnogoe have čemutalked drugome,about thes drugie chap sma-ters “Political Participation of sitrajunce t dahey je h avremeve bee takvo,n open jered jean većinad the p utonulaublic got u t hzonue im pkomforaression National Minorities, 2016 thuljuljkanaat we all uk nšundow w i hkičat tean usledd how zaslepljenos6 we should d one, h vidiow dawe se sh nalaziould Ukinuto fakultativno u moralnom i mentalnom mraku i beznadežnos6. elections” Research change or enforce laws, but it seems that we again are only talking, učenje rumunskog jezika repeating what which we learned, but we are not implementing it. u školiPre use Jankovomnted OIpak,r at le činjenicaast not to jean da ex psmoecte živelid exte in ut. mnogoThe rep otežimrt stat eokolnos6mas that a legal i As it was pointemostud out during the pres - adand smoinstit uživelitiona ul fvremenimaramework fo mnogor respec većet of b moralneasic right si mentalnehas been entation of the research called “politi - ebeznadežnos6,stablished, but th ites r enequ irmožemoes a consi slakotent iprihva66mplement atumačenjetion, includi ndag caOdlukal partici p oat io ukidanjun of natio n fakultativnogal minorities, pdanasrotecti onen živimoof mino uri tvremenuies and g rherojaoups w i hherojskiho have b edelaen e xzbogpose dtoga to 2učenja016 ele crumunskogtions,” it is n ejezikacessa ruy tškolio de -u dštoiscr inemi nmožemoation to a sebi larg epriuš66 degree bolji– Ro mautomobil,a and LGBT skuplju popula todećuion. ili crJankovomease the n Mostuumber ojef sprimerignatu rponišta-es nec - zato što slušamo potpuno neharmoničnu muziku „opleme- evanjassary tstečeniho found pravaa polit nacionalnihical party by za-a When it comes to the report on the implementation of the Action njednica,ational m in štoori ty je, t o a Ustavombolish th e n Srbijeeed njenu“ banalnim tekstovima, što bez ustezanja i srama gledamo tozabranjeno. collect signatures in support of a Pprivatnostlan for Min nepozna6horities, the dljudiirec ilito ršto of uzdišemothe Office zafo r„starletama“ Human and kojeMi - party which wants to run in the elec - nsuor ipostalety Rights muze, Suza nnašega Pero doba.vic, ha s said that almost 80% of the acti - tions, and that the number of parties vities planned for the first and second quarter of the year have of national minorities shows the ten - bOee n Srđanu realise d Aleksiću. The Act io znamon Plan in sve,clud e alis 1 je15 a pitanjectivitie s dawh i lic h zapravo should dency that one national minority is brazumemoe realised in njegovu the com iporuku.ng perio dDa. T wli namo law jes – jasno the la zaštow on pjero ontec is6n-tion represHronikaented by s enacionalnihveral political par - ties. manjinja konačno na oskif ri gherojhts a ni dzašto free dseom ons adogodiond the la uw mnogo on natio težimnal co vremenimauncils of nati negoonal nacionalnoj televiziji mštoino surit idanašnja?es – should Da co nlit rjeib danasute to potrebanimproving Srđanthe sta Aleksićtus of m iliin namori - tijees njegova. žrtva bila dovoljna da razumemo šta je to bolja strana Centar za istraživanje migracija je još ljudske prirode. 2013.Nati o godinenal H o snimioliday o prvuf Bu n pilot- Even though everything is not ideal, it is visible that our country emisijujevci Hronike– Day nacionalnihof Great manjinaNa - stSrđanopped je p svakakoushing p roličnjeoblem sbolje unde straner the c aljudskerpet. F oprirodertunate kojaly th ijes i is6n-s so, ti ipredstavioonal Ass jee programskommbly – Ma odborurked oskathe rsuš6nawise we postojanja would stum ljudible kaoon a vrste. bunch Dokle of pro godblem Srbijas and budethe q ubilae - Minority NEWS projekta, koji čine stion is if we would have the strength to resume. Dpredstavniciay of Great N svihatio Nacionalnihnal Assembly saveta, one ponosna na Srđana Aleksića i njegov čin, svaki čovek može da onacionalnihf four nation manjina.al holiday s of the Bun - bude ponosan na Srbiju. jevci community in Serbia, was marked in the Subotica City Hall where a solemn academy was held which was 30 Ud Srbijiiffer živeent pripadnicinationa 30l m različi3hinorit nacionalnihies live in zajednica! Serbia attendedNacionalni by high-rankin gsavet officials of the Rcrnogorskeepublic of Se rmanjinebia, the Au - tonodobiomous Pr onovevince o fprostorije the Vojvodina, the City of Subotica and the National Council of the Bunjevci National Mi - nNacionalniority in Serb ia savet. crnogorske na- cionalne manjine dobio je nove prostorije, a reč je o objektu površine 400 kvadratnih metara koji se nalazi u centru Vrbasa. Flag Day Marked Flag Day, a national holiday of Albania, this year also was marked in munici - Ako pimatealities wpitanjeith majo rvezanoity Alban izaan popu - funkcionisanjelation in th Nacionalnihe south of Serbia saveta. In additi on er for all to the Serbian flag, the Albanian flag and ONE newsle nacionalnihwas manjina raised on ilimu zanic oblastipal buil dpravaings in nacionalnihmu manjinanicipalities radowith A ćemolbanian pronaćimajority. i objavi3 odgovor. www.minoritynews.rs [email protected] Minority News Portal OUR INTERVIEW: SUZANA KUJUNDZIC OSTOJIC, PRESIDENT OF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE BUNJEVCI NATIONAL MINORITY We Are Dealing Bravely with Problems and Consequences ot all the citizens of our country know about the Bunjevci national minority. Even though it is small, less visible than other national communities, this national community is working hard to develop, to get equal rights and what is maybe the most important, to preserve its identity, which has been threatened. On November 26 we celebrated one of our four national holidays – Day of the Great National Assembly. In addition to this holiday, the Bunjevci community celebrates Veliko Prelo (February 2) , Day of Founding of the Bunjevci National Council (February 2N3) and Day of Duzijanica (August 17). We interviewed Suzana Kujundzic Ostojic, the president of the National Council of the Bunjevci National Minority, for the latest issue of our Bulletin.

fact that Tito brought a decree in 1945, when the war was not over yet, ordering all Bunjevci to declare themselves as Croats. In 1918, there were 84,000-85,000 Bunjevci in the area I was talking about, and today, there are only 16,000 people declaring themselves as Bunjevci. So, the problems facing our community reach back in history and we still feel some of the consequences. But we deal with all these problems very bravely. This is the third National Council of the Bunjevci Na - tional Minority. We work with 3% majority. I think this is good and I think that it is good that we have good and strong op - position in every national council, which we have. We try to work with funds that we get from the Republic of Serbia, the Autonomous Province of the Vojvodina and a little money from the city since there are less than 10% of Bunjevci in Subotica, which is why some rights we used to have How would you describe the Bunjevci in the area of Bajski triangle. Problems fa - we have lost. We are special also by the community and what does one first think cing the Bunjevci community are similar fact that the Republic of Serbia is our mot - of when we speak of this community? to problems facing all communities in Ser - herland, while the majority of national bia, they being high mortality rate, emi - For me, as a member of this community, minorities get aid from their motherlands. gration of the population abroad, difficul - So, there is a lot of volunteer work in our this is certainly the speech, shtocavian ika - ties in finding a job, etc. It is a historical vica dialect, and for someone else, who council, a lot of love for that what we are knows less about us, this would certainly and a lot of effort to make visible that be our national costumes which are very which we are doing. rich, colourful. We of course would like Problems facing Representatives of the National Council that all residents of Serbia and a wider re - of Bunjevci have recently submitted an gion get us know better and would like to the Bunjevci community initiative to the Provincial Secretary of show them our rich culture. are similar to problems Culture, Public Information and Relations Minority communities are mostly known with Religious Communities, and this ini - by their colourful national costumes and facing all communities in tiative concerns the assimilation of the dances. But not everything is so “cheer - Bunjevci community in 1945. Could you ful” like their costumes. We believe that Serbia, they being high tell us something more about this initia - the situation is similar in your community mortality rate, emigration tive? as well. of the population abroad, I’ve just touched the topic. It is really hard The Bunjevci community is special be - to describe the Bunjevci community long cause it is located in two towns. The ma - difficulties in finding a time ago and today, without speaking of jority of the Bunjevci population lives in something that is, I would say, a prece - Subotica, and some live in Sombor. Long job, etc. dent. I don’t know that something like time ago, there were a lot of us in the ter - that happened to any other people in ritory of southern Hungary, around Baja, these parts. We submitted the same ini - tiative in 2006. The then Parliament and 3 Minority News politicians in the Province did not have understanding for it. I believe they will have now. As far as the Secretariat is con - cerned, we submitted the initiative, and as far as we know, things are unfolding as they should, and I expect that everything will be fine. What is the initiative about and what is the point of this entire story? Of course, today we can declare ourselves as Bunjevci. This decision was erased by

So many people were re - habilitated, and we feel that we, as a people, also deserve rehabilitation and that it would be nice if someone would say ‘sorry’ after so many After your answers, a logical question is all minorities, or at least the most part, being posed. Do you think that the Bu - to jointly present themselves on the me - years, this should not njevci have the same rights as other na - dia in order to be more visible? tional communities? have happened, this was Locally, everyone is satisfied to some ex - an act of assimilation. I would say that the rights exist, laws exist, tent with the presence of their minority but when we start to realise these rights in the media. But the local level has been This is the only thing that then our path is usually a little longer. ruined to some extent because of the law on information, and I hope that a link will we ask for. We hope that the situation is somewhat be found and that things will be resolved. better when it comes to the public media As far as the Province is concerned, and outlets. time, but since it was brought in the same having in mind our numbers and the num - hall 72 years ago, since this is the body We have media in our mother tongue. bers of all national minorities living in the which came into being after that time, These are not complete media outlets of Province, I think that things are pretty there is something that is called moral sa - course. We have our newspapers that are good. But, when it comes to the public tisfaction and I think that every honest issued once a month, and a children’s ma - broadcasting system, things are comple - man strives for it. So many people were gazine. We are still struggling to print a tely different and the public can hear rehabilitated, and we feel that we, as a magazine for the youth, which is extre - about us only when there is something people, also deserve rehabilitation and mely important. We also have a web site, extreme, something sensational, etc. and that it would be nice if someone would radio shows that are broadcast on local I think this is not good because there are say ‘sorry’ after so many years, this should radio stations. We have a show on RTV many people who know nothing about not have happened, this was an act of as - Vojvodina once in two weeks that lasts this national community, and they con - similation. This is the only thing that we half an hour. I would like that we have sciously or unconsciously link these bad ask for. We cannot ask that this act be much more time, but this is what we have things with us, which is definitely not right. withdrawn, I’ve already said why, but I at the moment. We are a very peaceful and good people, think that we deserved to get such an an - of a lowland character but originating swer. Do you think that there is a chance for from highlands, the Dinara Mountain.

4 Minority News News

The First Report on the Implementation

of the Action Plan foSrou rMce: Offiicne foor Hurmiatin aned Ms inority Rights n Monday, November 28, the nated by institutions tasked with imple - sage of the Action Plan for the Realisation Office for Human and Minority menting activities from the Action Plan, of Rights of National Minorities the Gov - Rights presented in the Serbia will significantly contribute to the moni - ernment fulfilled one of the objectives Palace the first report on the toring of and reporting on the implemen - from the Action Plan for the Negotiation implementation of the Action tation of the Action Plan, and that the Of - Chapter 23. POlan for the Execution of Rights of National fice will continue to coordinate, support Minorities for the first and second quarter and improve their work and mutual coop - Ivan Bosnjak, the State Secretary in the of 2016. eration. Ministry of Public Administration and Lo - cal Self-Governance, has welcomed those The presentation was opened by Suzana The director has said that the Office for present on behalf of the Chairman of the Paunovic, the director of the Office for Hu - Human and Minority Rights has translated Government’s Council for National Mi - man and Minority Rights, Ce - norities, and informed them domir Backovic, the Assistant that after the elections, the Minister of Justice and presi - Government formed a new dent of the negotiation group Council for National Minori - for Chapter 23, Ivan Bosnjak, ties which will be chaired by the State Secretary in the Min - the Minister of Public Admin - istry of Public Administration istration and Local Self-Gov - and Local Self-Governance, ernance, Ana Brnabic. Also, and Andrea Oricio, the Head he has said that the Council of the OSCE Mission to Ser - will hold a session to review bia. the fist report on the imple - mentation of the Action Plan The director of the Office for and other issues of impor - Human and Minority Rights tance for the realisation of has said that the Office pre - rights of national minorities pared the report and that it provides tech - the first report into English but that it plans in Serbia. He has said that in the past pe - nical and administrative support to the to translate it into minority languages that riod the Government did a lot at devel - Government’s Council for National Minori - are in official use in the Republic of Serbia oping dialogue and securing the devel - ties which is overseeing the implementa - as well. Stressing the importance of oper - opment of rights and freedoms of tion of the Action Plan for the Realisation ations of the national councils in improving national minorities, working together with of Rights of National Minorities. The direc - and protecting the rights of national mi - the national councils on the Action Plan tor has also informed those present of the norities, the director has called on the for the Realisation of Rights of National results of the first cycle of reporting on the councils to continue to provide support to Minorities, which is clearly seen in the implemented activities in the first and the the implementation of the Action Plan for first report on the implementation of the second quarter of 2016, stating that a great the Realisation of Rights of National Mi - Action Plan. number of activities (87%) are being im - norities. plemented by nearly 80 subjects and part - “Improving the status of national minori - ners designated by the Action Plan. She The Assistant Minister of Justice, Cedomir ties and their integration are crucial for the has also said that contact persons, desig - Backovic, has said that by the mere pas - functioning of an inclusive and democratic society. As a multicultural and multiethnic society, Serbia has adopted a very progres - sive legal framework to ensure the pro - tection of national minorities, prevent dis - crimination on all grounds and provide support to a better integration of minority communities with the political and public life. The adoption and implementation of this Action Plan is a move to that direction,” the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Andrea Oricio, has said. Oricio has stressed the importance of the implementation of measures and activities aimed at improving the rights of national minorities and the Mission’s commitment to supporting the Serbian Government in this field. 5 Minority News News

Regulations Pertaining to Registration of Minority Parties Should Be Reconsidered

he number of signatures ne - of a national minority, 12, Roma have “The law on founding political parties cessary for a minority to seven parties, and Hungarians and Al - of 2010 created a situation of inequa - found a political party banians six each. lity…A quota of 10,000 members was should be reduced and an introduced for new parties and when obligation to collect signatures in sup - “Political parties of national minorities it comes to minority parties, every pTort of an election list or a political play an important role in Serbia’s po - member should prove that he has a party as a precondition for its partici - litical party life…Political parties in Ser - right to vote, and this proof costs 5-10 pation in elections should be abolished. bia are mostly mono-ethnic parties euros. In order to form a minority party, Also, guaranteed seats in Parliament and they primarily represent the in - 1,000 signatures are needed and 1,000 should be introduced for national mi - terests of one community…There is a proofs that people are registered in the norities small in numbers, it was said tendency of growth of majority parties voters’ list,” he said. on November 3 at a presentation of a re - “This does not exist anywhere in the search on “political world but in Serbia…If a party was re - participation of na - gistered, it should have a freedom to tional minorities, take part in the elections and the elec - 2016 elections.” tions should regulate who will survive and who will not survive. The obligation It was pointed out of collecting signatures, particularly for that the number of minorities, should be abolished,” he parties of national noted. minorities shows a tendency that one Janjic assessed that amendments national minority is would significantly reduce the space represented by se - for corruption or political influence on veral political par - the elections. He explained that the ties. The Bosniak national minority has in the last three election cycles which question is being posed as to who can the greatest number of registered po - include members of national minori - form a minority party, adding that it is litical parties, followed by Roma, Hun - ties, while multiethnic parties are difficult to regulate it since the legisla - garians and Albanians. Ksenija Marko - more of an exception than a rule,” she tor left a wide space here. vic, an associate to the Institute for said. Social Research, has said that there are Muamer Zukorlic, a BDZ MP, said that 108 registered political parties, of Ksenija Markovic said that an affirma - voters’ lists are a very sensitive issue. which number 63 are parties of natio - tive measure which means that 1,000 “Modalities must be found in order to nal minorities, which is 60% of the re - signatures is enough to register a po - have stable voters’ lists, so that they gistered political parties. litical party of a national minority can be supplemented and that the (10,000 signatures is needed for par - obligation to regularly register in the She said that, according to the results ties which do not fall under this rule) voters’ list be abolished. This is so - of the 2011 population census, there influenced the increase in number of mething that excludes a large number are more than 20 ethnic communities political parties of national minorities. of people from voting in the elec - in Serbia. She has said that the number of poli - tions,” he noted. Zukorlic also said that tical parties of national minorities there were many abuses and that “In addition to Serbs, who are a ma - shows a tendency that the interests some often come from local factors jority community, only three ethnic of one national minority in Serbia are that are interested in the elections. communities comprise more than 1% represented by several parties. She “Some people have registered in the of the population. They are Hunga - added that some of the registered po - voters’ lists three times,” Zukorlic ex - rians, Roma and Bosniaks. The Alba - litical parties are not active. plained. The monitoring of election nian national community has boycot - campaigns of political parties of na - ted the population census,” Markovic The president of the Steering Board of tional minorities was conducted from said. the Forum for Ethnic Relations, Dusan March 25 to April 21. The research Janjic, said that a series of laws which was conducted by associates to the According to her, the Bosniak national created the present situation were Forum for Ethnic Relations as part of minority has the most registered par - brought in 2010 and that the legislation a project that was financed by the ties relative to a number of members should be amended. Open Society Foundation. 6 Minority News News Human Rights Committee Conference on Integration

of Albanians Ends Source: Bujanovacke

two-day conference on “In - tional Council of Albanians, Ragmi Mu - use of language, script and national sym - tegration of Albanians in the stafa, addressed the conference. The dis - bols, decentralisation and judiciary, eco - South of Serbia in the Light of cussions showed the importance of the nomy and regional development, have (Non)Implementation of Go - continuation of the dialogue between Go - been presented at the conference. vernment’s Agreements Concerning the vernment representatives and local Alba - SoAuth of Serbia,” which the Human Rights nian representatives on the continuation On the second day of the conference, par - ticipants in seven panel discussions dis - cussed recommendations and problems in the said areas, and documents produ - ced at these panel discussions will be sent to relevant institutions and ministries and international organisations. The conference was realised as part of the project called “Strengthening the Sta - bility in the South of Serbia through Inte - gration of Albanian National Minority.” Seven public discussions were held as part of the project, a research was done which dealt with the level of implementation of three documents of the Serbian Govern - ment for the south of Serbia (the plan and programme for a peaceful resolution of the crisis in the south of Serbia, the so- called Covic plan of 2001, the agreement on reconstruction of the coordination body of the Serbian Government for the south of Serbia of 2009, and the seven items plan of 2013) and an analysis was Committee organised on November 22- of implementation of agreements for the made which precisely determines the le - 23 in the Rozafa Hotel in Bujanovac, en - south of Serbia. vel of integration of the Albanian national ded with submitting recommendations minority with the state institutions. to relevant institutions on seven key pro - Results of the project, recommendations blems. from seven public debates on security, The project lasted for a year and was sup - education, culture and information, ported by the Swiss Ministry of Foreign According to organisers, the conference health and social issues, right to official Affairs. was attended by more than 150 repre - sentatives of republic bodies, embassies and diplomatic offices, officials of the dis - trict and local institutions in Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja Municipalities, as well as by representatives of organisations of civil society and media. Philippe Guex, the Ambassador of Swit - zerland to Serbia and Montenegro, Ana Brnabic, the Minister of Public Admini - stration and Local Self-Governance, Zoran Stankovic, the president of the Coordina - ting Body, Saip Kamberi, the Head of the Bujanovac Municipality, Sciprim Arifi, the Head of the Presevo Municipality, MPs Nenad Mitrovic /SNS/ and Fatmir Hasani /PDP/ and the representative of the Na - 7 Minority News News The 9 th Meeting of the Steering Board of the Project “We are Here Together – European Support to Roma

Inclusion” HSeourlced : Office for Human and Minority Rights

hen opening the 9 th tation of the Strategy for Social meeting of the Pro - Inclusion of Roma until 2025. ject’s Steering Board, the director of the She pointed out that attention Office for Human and Minority should be directed in the com - RWights, Suzana Paunovic, said that ing period at increasing the ca - new results on the project have pacities of local government been achieved between the two units to successfully realise the meetings of the Steering Board. complex job of Roma inclu - sion. Paunovic noted that equipment worth 375,000 Euros was presented Zivojin Mitrovic, a representa - to 17 companies which employ tive of the National Council of Roma, noting that the 1st Roma Em - the Roma National Minority, ployment Fair was held. Best prac - said that the full participation tices in employment of Roma were of Roma – from the participa - presented at the Fair and for the tion in the project’s steering first time great companies and board to end users – have young people were included. been secured for the first time in this project. The process of certification of ped - agogical assistants has been com - Nicolas Bizel, Head of Opera - pleted and 191 assistants received tions, on behalf of the Euro - diplomas, by which they became a pean Delegation to Serbia as - part of the educational system of sessed IPA 2010 as one of the the Republic of Serbia, Paunovic has most important projects in the said. area of Roma inclusion imple - mented in Serbia, praised the There was also word about chal - firm managing structure of the lenges of Roma inclusion. Thirty-two project and efforts the project local self governments exchanged on the settlements, a review and analysis of all team undertook to encourage the achieve - occasion good practices and experiences housing models in Roma settlements have ment of the project objectives. with other interested municipalities. Also, been made. Thirteen urban plans of sub - a declaration on improving the status of standard Roma settlements in 11 munici - Jan Lueneburg, the Head of the OSCE Mis - Roma at the local level has been signed. A palities have been drafted. Also, technical sion to Serbia Democratisation Depart - guide to founding mobile teams, which documents for some 20 infrastructure proj - ment, expressed satisfaction with the dy - should serve the spreading of this form of ects have been prepared in 14 municipal - namics of implementation of project local cooperation, was presented to the ities. Municipalities applied for funds as activities and the commitment of all de - municipalities. A database for monitoring part of IPA 2013 programme to implement partments and the project team that are results of measures for Roma inclusion at these projects. included in the implementation of this proj - the local level is being supplemented, and ect. Lueneburg said that the OSCE Mission information from this database will influ - The director of the Office for Human and will continue to provide support to Roma ence the creation of politics of national Minority Rights stressed that components inclusion programmes and programmes and local institutions and the bringing of in connection with the approach to basic of protection of human rights of all national decisions by donors. rights, and training for more than 70 NGOs minorities. have been successfully completed. Paunovic said that great results were Lloyd Tudyk, the project manager, pre - achieved in one of the most complex fields, Paunovic said that the Government of the sented the results achieved in the past pe - the housing. In addition to establishing a Republic of Serbia has assumed an obliga - riod, stressing particularly the issue of geographic national system for monitoring tion to continue the begun activities housing as an issue in the focus of this the state of affairs in substandard Roma through the Action Plan for the Implemen - meeting of the Steering Board. 8 Minority News Emir Adzovic, Project coordinator, Directorate General II, Council of Europe National Minority Protection in South East Europe aking stock of the results at the EURO and a 10% municipal contribution) of national minority protection in Mon - grassroots level and finding supported 35 municipalities in the region tenegro. ways to influence change at (6 municipalities in Serbia) to address a the policy level- experience of wide range of minority issues at local A key to the success of this regional ini - the joint European Union/Council of Europe level. The Project thus, for example, con - tiative was that it did not try to impose a reTgional project “Promoting human rights tributed to the complete elimination of one-size-fits-all solution based on models and minority pro - developed outside the tection in South Region. At no point did East Europe” the Council of Europe seek to impose top- “Promoting Hu - down solutions, con - man Rights and scious of the impor - Minority Protec - tance of relating policy tion in South East to impact at the individ - Europe” is a Joint ual level – turning “val - Project funded by ues” into something the European practical and real for in - Union and imple - dividuals, and knowing mented by the that the best policies Council of Eu - are developed on the rope. It has pro - basis of feedback from vided a blend of those individuals, policy and grass - through a genuine form roots support, of participation. based on recom - mendations from the monitoring bodies school dropout for Egyptian pupils in Ti - Of 35 small grants implemented, the Proj - of the two relevant Council of Europe con - vat; to the modernising the issuance of ect Steering Committee selected seven ventions: the Framework Convention for municipal forms and documents in mi - instances of good practice for further de - Protection of National Minorities (FCNM) nority languages in Subotica; to the set - velopment and promotion through or - and European Charter for Regional or Mi - ting up of a training centre for project ganization of Open Day which brought nority Languages (ECRML). This was the drafting for national minorities in together representatives of participating main aim and the biggest success – bring - Gradiška; to language training for desk municipalities from the whole region. ing European standards and recommen - officers in Pula; to the adoption of the dations close to real people who live and first-ever municipal strategy for the inclu - These instances of good practice are bona deal with the issues that national minori - sion of non-majority communities in fide ‘home grown’ projects, designed, de - ties face every day, right where they live. Vushtrri; as well as to the pre-qualification veloped and tested in the region, by peo - Listening to their voices and combining our and employment of women, members of ple from the region. They have been im - efforts, showing how the Council of Europe a national minority in Staro Nagoričane. plemented by local teams under can add real value and respond to their municipal leadership, supported by local needs. As well as this sort of support provided experts and monitored and evaluated by at the grassroots level, the Project also representatives of the authorities con - Aiming at breaking down barriers for mi - assisted at the higher policy level, advising cerned. They have the potential to pro - norities at the local level, over three years on the preparation of the Action Plan for vide sustainable cost-effective solutions 2014 to 2016 the Project worked din seven national minorities under Chapter 23 of throughout the region beneficiaries of the South East Europe re - EU pre-accession negotiations in Serbia gion – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and on revisions of the Law on Minorities You can find more about the Project and Croatia, Montenegro, Serbia, “the former in Albania. The Project also contributed its results on the Project website, Face - Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia” and to promoting the first-ever report on the book page, Instagram and Twitter, to - Kosovo* 1 . state of national minority rights in Bosnia gether with links to the Publication of El - and Herzegovina and to building capacity ements of Good Practice and the Final Following a public call for expression of of the relevant institutions dealing with Regional Report prepared by the College interest, a small grant scheme (18000 reporting and policy-making in the field of Europe.

1 This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence. 9 Minority News News Minority and Local Media as an Investment in the Social Integration Source: Telegraf

he 5th session of the Re - and Regional Languages, MIDAS, added cial Government will allocate funds for gional Conference on Mi - a solemn ton to the conference. project financing of these media out - nority and Local Media was lets as well, the importance of which held on November 10 in The Deputy Prime Minster of the Vo - is extremely big in their communities. Novi Sad. The conference was organ - jvodina, Djordje Milicevic, has said that iseTd by Magyar Szo, the Association of multiethnicity and multiculturalism of During three conference panel discus - Media of Serbia, sions, minority and lo - Heror Media Pint cal media were seen and Giacomelli Me - as a source of a solu - dia. Next year, the tion, in the centre of Conference will which is the issue of transform into a Eu - one’s own identity. ropean conference as a result of a suc - The Conference an - cessful five-year swered many ques - work, it was con - tions. It was con - cluded at the ses - cluded that digital sion. platforms of minority media do not repre - The topic of the ses - sent a risk to national sion was social integration. Represen - the Vojvodina are a way of life in all its minorities from identity loss and that tatives of the state, provincial and local segments, including information, and in addition to informing the public, mi - institutions and organisations dealing that this fact is supported by the exis - nority media have the role which with European integration, marketing, tance of a stable system of financial “brings” a minority language to the economy, corporative and media com - support to the most important media family, and the role to increase visibility panies, together with minority and lo - outlets in minority languages in the of the national community in the soci - cal media from Serbia and the region, Province. ety. discussed the issue of understanding the identity, culture and the status of Deputy Prime Minister Milicevic has A model of possible cooperation be - minority and local media as protago - said that somewhat more than 264 mil - tween a number of minority and other nists of new solutions at the time of lion dinars have been allocated this media outlets during a preparation of year for the major European projects was noted at printing of 22 the conference as one of models of a newspapers in new positioning of minority media. eight minority languages, Full support was given to the opening which is more of minority media towards the so- than 90% of a called majority communities, and the total amount al - need to formalise the work of the Co - located in sup - ordination of National Councils of Na - port of all media tional Minorities and draft a minority outlets in the strategy of Serbia was pointed out. Province, includ - ing media in Ser - The 5th session of the Regional Con - bian. “At least ference dedicated to minority and local that much will media outlets, in which work repre - be planned in sentatives of our and regional media intensive changes and creation of new the 2017 budget, which will provide outlets, MIDAS, a team for candidacy parameters which make a contempo - for stable and sustainable financing of of Novi Sad for the European capital rary society. The central topic the Con - publishers,” said Milicevic, adding that of culture 2021, the Serbian Chamber ference dealt with was the significance there is awareness of the fact that a of Commerce, corporative sector, the of and belonging to communities. A significant number of media in minority Serbian Olympic Committee took part, celebration of the accession of daily languages, primarily at the local level, showed that the direction of develop - Magyar Szo to the European Associa - found themselves in the market after ment of minority media outlets is well tion of Daily Newspapers in Minority the privatisation, and that the Provin - planned. 10 Minority News News Less Than One Fifth of Municipalities and Cities Allocated Funds for Media Projects in Minority Languages Source: The Serbian Journalists’ Association f 150 cities and municipalities nority languages in 11 local government Kovacica Municipality has allocated in Serbia which answered the units. Five municipalities – Vrbas, Backi 7,575,000 dinars for two projects by questions posed by the Kom - Petrovac, Opovo, Irig, Sid, and 13 of the RTV OK which include shows in Slo - sijske Novosti internet site, 17 Belgrade municipalities, have not yet vak, Hungarians and Romanian. 31 planned funds for infor - answered the questions put by the Kom - mOation in minority languages to be sijske Novosti internet site. Subotica has allocated 6,350,000 di - granted by way of competitions in 2016. nars to support eight projects in mi - Dimitrovgrad Municipality has allocated nority languages while Novi Sad has Funds were allocated to media outlets the most money to projects in minority allocated 6 million dinars to support in 20 municipalities and cities, and even languages – 11.2 million dinars. The eight of 13 projects which applied though competitions were called, no money was distributed to media outlets for funds. one applied for funds for projects in mi - in Bulgarian. Call for Proposals for Media Projects in Minority Languages to Be Opened Next Year in Indjija As Well Source: Komsijske Novosti unds will be planned in “At the beginning of this year, Indjija He added that “a budget for next the budget of Indjija Municipality called a competition year is being drafted, and special Municipality for next for co-financing of media projects funds will be planned for programs year intended for co-fi - to which local media in minority in minority languages and minori - nancing media projects in minority lan - languages applied, but a competi - ties will be able to apply for them g„Fuages,” the chief of staff of the Head tion exclusively for programs in mi - with their projects.” of Indjija Municipality, Nemanja Milo - nority languages has not been jevic, told Komsijske Novosti. called,” Milojevic said. Nedeljne Novine Will Belong to Journalists, Radio Temerin will

ast month, the Ministry of the Bateion t hSat whagesu aret tw od monoths wlate, bun t eration with the local self-governance. Economy terminated for the that the company had done business with - second time the agreement on out any problems before. The “Nedeljne Novine” Weekly, which fea - the privatisation of the tures articles in both Hungarian and Slovak Nedeljne Novine Weekly of Backa Palanka, “A Commission of the Ministry of the Econ - languages, was sold for the first time eight siLnce the owner Milojko Pavlovic did not omy carried out regular controls and noted years ago, but the sales agreement was abide by the purchase agreement. violations of the agreement. The shares terminated because the agreement provi - were returned to the state and a share - sions were not respected. Pavlovic, who last year made a bid of holders’ assembly was scheduled when 34,000 euros for this media outlet, failed the shares will be allocated to employees,” Bilingual Radio Temerin will shut down on to pay the bid price and failed to make the Bacina said. December 1, when its broadcast licence agreed investments. will have expired. This media outlet has He added that the Nedeljne Novine missed its opportunity to be privatised, so Zoran Bacina, the state’s capital adminis - Weekly is being distributed in Backa it has been owned by Temerin Municipality trator, told the Serbian Journalists’ Associ - Palanka and has good revenues and coop - since October last year. 11 Minority News The Albanian community Flag Day, a National Holiday of Albanian National Minority, Marked Source: Danas lag Day, a national holiday of Al - municipalities. The work on this agreement janovac Municipality building and a build - bania, this year was marked in has been done in the past several months, ing where the offices of the National Coun - municipalities with majority Al - and Flag Day was symbolically chosen for its cil of Albanian National Minority are banian population in the south signing, Albanian sources in Presevo said, housed. It was visible that this year there of Serbia without euphoria and political ten - where, in addition to the Serbian and EU were no slogans in support of independ - sioFns as it had been the case previous years. flags, an Albanian flag flew on the municipal building in front of The Head of Presevo Municipality, Sciprim which a small number of citizens Arifi, was in Tirana at the invitation of the gathered. They said that, upon Mayor of the Albanian capital, Erjon Velijaj. his return from Tirana, Arifi will The office of the Head of Presevo Munici - “present the content of the pality has confirmed that Arifi signed an agreement in more details.” agreement on cooperation between Pre - sevo, Tetovo, Pristina, Ulcinj and Tirana, and The Head of Bujanovac Munici - that he will stay in Tirana for the celebration pality, Saip Kamberi, had a meet - of the Flag Day. Albanian officials in this mu - ing with citizens in his office nicipality were reluctant to comment on the which lasted for more than two agreement, saying that they did not take hours. They talked about prob - part in the drafting of the agreement, and lems citizens are facing daily. ence of Kossovo or glorification of killed that “this is not a secret document, but a members of the Liberation Army of Bu - document concerning the improvement of - Unemployment is the most critical problem janovac, Presevo and Medvedja, which, in regional cooperation.” in our municipality, as well as lack of eco - previous years, had been the major part nomic activities, which is why we need the of a celebration of the Flag Day. - This is a project of mutual coordination and assistance from the state and foreign in - connections in ecology, construction, draw - vestors, Kamberi said. - A Week in November event was held in ing foreign investments and creating an at - the Bujanovac Cultural Centre, where a mosphere conducive to improving the so - - In addition to the Serbian and EU flags, number of theatres and folklore ensembles cio-economic status of Albanians in these the Albanian flag was posted on the Bu - from Kossovo and Albania performed.

The Bosniak Community Solemn Session on the Occasion

of Day of SandzaSokurce: The Bosniak National Council he Bosniak National Council on November 20 holiday to all citizens of the awarded, and this year, it went to writer November 21 held a solemn Sandzak and stressed that the Sandzak is a Faiz Softic, of Bijelo Polje. session on the occasion of No - historical region where Albanians, Bosniaks, vember 20, Day of Sandzak, a Montenegrins and Serbs have lived for cen - As part of marking this year’s Day of national holiday of Bosniaks in Serbia. The turies in harmony. Sandzak, a delegation of the Bosniak Na - DTay of Sandzak is marked on November 20, tional Council paid a visit to Pljevlja and laid in memory of the founding of the Anti-Fas - In addition to Council members, the session flowers at a memorial to the founding of cist Council of the People’s Liberation of of the Bosniak National Council was at - ZAVNOS. Children’s play “Halima’s Home - the Sandzak (ZAVNOS), in Pljevlja in 1943. tended by members of the Council’s Board, land” directed by children writer Suada Bosniak MPs, mayors and heads of Sandzak Bozic was performed. The session started with the reading of the municipalities, representatives of NGOs, di - Sandzak’s Historical Doubts by Dr. Redzep rectors of schools in the Sandzak, and other At the beginning of November, the Bosniak Skrijelj, and biographies of Sreten Vukosavl - figures from the public and cultural life. National Council called a literary competi - jevic, the president of ZAVNOS, and Rifat tion “Sandzak is Pronounced by Heart” and Burdzovic Trs, a people’s hero from WWII. The Bosniak National Council has estab - a photo competition “This is Sandzak,” both lished an annual literary event called intended for the youth. Awards for winners The president of the Bosniak National Coun - “Sandzak’s Literary Meets,” when a literary of these competitions will be presented on cil, Sulejman Ugljanin, congratulated the award called “Camil Sijeric’s Pen” is December 2. 12 Minority News The Bunjevci Community

Day of Great National AssembSloy urce: Bunjevci ay of Great National Assembly, one of four national holidays of the Bunjevci community in Serbia, was marked by a solemn academy in the Subotica City Hall, in the presence of high-ranking representatives of the Republic of Serbia, the Autonomous Province of the Vojvodina, the city of Subotica and the National Council of the D Bunjevci National Minority. Subotica Mayor Bogdan Laban congrat - to nurture the richness of differences: “There are no centuries, there is no ulated the holiday to the Bunjevci com - language or culture, there are no bones munity and reminded of historical facts “We are proud of what our forefathers, scattered on fronts, everything has pertaining to November 25, 1918: Serbs and Bunjevci together, did. They gone. This lasted for so long that we asked ourselves if we existed at all. We “The marking of a national holiday of did, the Great National Assembly of the Bunjevci is an opportunity to re - Serbs, Bunjevici and other Slavs says. mind of events from the fall of 1918 Yes, we were there, we spoke our beau - and from the time when patriotic aspi - tiful ‘ikavian’ we left a mark and gave rations of the Yugoslav peoples began ourselves, the only thing that we had. to realise. The Bunjevci have lived in And like it always happens with the just these parts for 330 years, and they are and persistent, our wheel of fortune an example that, despite serious chal - moved, we stand side by side with lenges and difficult problems, people other national minorities and fight for can preserve its customs and culture, our rights, fight to compensate for that if it is united and if it nurtures the which we have missed.” awareness of its existance. The Bun - jevci managed to preserve their na - The ceremony was also attended by tional identity under not so simple his - enabled us to live in peace and free - Gojko Radic, an adviser to the Serbian torical and social circumstances. dom, to be proud. I am certain that we Prime Minister, Mihalj Njilas, the Vo - Convinced that the work on standardi - are worthy of our ancestors and that jvodina Deputy Prime Minister and the sation of the Bunjevci language will be we will manage to maintain the inheri - Provincial Secretary for Education, Ad - accelerated and that the decision which bans Bunjevci and Sokci to declare themselves as Bunjevci and Sokci will be formally abolished, I wish your re - spected community to live long in these parts.” “In the history of the present Vojvod - ina, there is no an event which is more important than the Great National As - sembly of Serbs, Bunjevci, and all oth - ers who decided to merge the Banat, Backa and the Srem with the Kingdom of Serbia. On this great day, the history of these parts took a new course: it was a far-reaching historical decision thanks to which we are all here today, united the way our forefathers imagined 98 years ago. Two proud peoples, Serbs and Bunjevci, two great personalities, Jasa Tomic and Blasko Rajic, two cities, Subotica and Novi Sad, marked this his - torical turning point. The freedom-lov - ing spirit of Serbs and Bunjevci played tance they left to us. The president of ministration, Regulations and National a crucial role in the last year of WWI”, the National Council of the Bunjevci Minorities, and Nebojsa Kuzmanovic Igor Mirovic, the Vojvodina Prime Min - National Minority, Suzana Kujundzic Os - and Djordje Vukmirovic, assistant ister, said. tojic, said in her remarks that Novem - Provincial Secretaries for Culture. ber 25, 1918 was the “date which radi - Tamara Babic, Stela Bukvic and the The envoy of the Serbian President, ated the light even at the time it “Aleksandrovo” Cultural and Artistic So - Stanislava Pak Stankovic, spoke about seemed that there was not a ray of sun - ciety performed in the cultural part of the efforts of the current government light for the Bunjevci.” the program. 13 Minority News Croatian Community Daring and Structurally Complex Projects Source: Hrvatska rijec

he Strategy is a docu - sented data, results of public opinion implemented depends on the bear - ment which charts a polls and a strategic plan. The last ers of the cultural autonomy, but way to a long-term de - public debate was organised for rep - also on other factors, general social velopment of educa - resentatives of public institutions in atmosphere in which it will be im - t„Tion of the Croatian national com - the Subotica City Hall. plemented, the authorities… munity in the Republic of Serbia and it is susceptible to constant recon - The Strategy was financially sup - “The document shows who the allies sideration of objectives and their re - ported by the Foundation for Open are and on which aid we can count visions,” says the Draft Strategy of Education in Croatian for the period 2017-2021, which was prepared by the Committee on Education of the Croatian National Council. The Strat - egy was brought in keeping with the Strategy of Education in Serbia until 2020, and in keeping with the Strat - egy Europe 2020. The predecessor of the Strategy is “a Platform of Ed - ucation of Croatian National Minor - ity in Their Mother Tongue in the Re - public of Serbia,” drafted by pedagogue Dujo Runje and his asso - ciates. Society in Serbia, and Foundation di - in its implementation. During the im - rector Jadranka Jelincic has said that plementation, this document will For the sake of greater inclusion of this is a daring and structurally com - have to be harmonised with general people who want to give a construc - plex project and the first strategic politics and this is why we expect tive contribution, the Croatian Na - project which a national minority in Serbia to make certain novelties in its strategy for development of edu - cation,” Jelincic said, adding that she “I am grateful to all participants, the head of the project, is glad that the Foundation is dedi - cated to supporting the enhance - Jasna Vojnic, and the Foundation for Open Society which ment of rights of national minorities recognised the values of the project even before the work on in Serbia. it started. It is important that the Strategy speaks of a future. The president of the Croatian Na - We should strive to that which was planned. Crucial objective tional Council /HNV/, Slaven Bacic, that remains to be achieved is to increase the number of chil - said that this is one of the most im - portant and best documents pro - dren who attend classes in Croatian. One of the objectives duced by the HNV since 2002. “The also is to create a single school centre,” said the president of basic sense of the Strategy is the fu - the Croatian National Council, Slaven Bacic. ture. It is understandable that maybe not everything will be realised in the coming period, but we must strive to realise the majority of these ob - tional Council organised public de - Serbia proposed to the Serbian pub - jectives,” Bacic said, adding that the bates in the past two weeks, in lic, and that this Strategy can be a main objective is to increase the Subotica, Sonta, Monostor and Ta - guide to others as to how activities number of children attending classes vankut. At public debates, the team should be planned. Jelincic has said in Croatian, and that everyone in the which drafted the Strategy, headed that this is a well thought-out activ - community can help to achieve this by coordinator Jasna Vojnic, pre - ity, and whether the Strategy will be goal. 14 Minority News Hungarian community Hungary Building a University Campus

in Subotica Source: vajma.info t is extremely important Segedin University, where the classes of economic development help this for our children to learn of economy and pedagogy for persons objective. Balog noted that his Go - Serbian and, with this with special needs will be held in the vernment is helping only these branc - goal in mind, we reached first cycle, and in the second cycle, an hes of Hungarian universities for a„n agIreement this week for Serbian IT engineering department will be which there is a need in the Vojvo - to be taught as a foreign language,” opened. He added that the status of dina, and that this is why it is open said Istvan Pastor, the president of the the Hungarian national minority will for a dialogue with those who disa - Alliance of the Vojvodina Hungarians have a special place at a joint session gree with the announced plans. “We in Subotica at a press conference of the Serbian and Hungarian Govern - do not intend to send to Vojvodina which he held together with Zoltan ments. Participants of the Vojvodina professors who are not needed. If the Balog, the Hungarian Minister of Hu - scientific roundtable took a stance offer is better here and if institutions man Resources. that with the aim of decreasing the are stronger, then of course, they high unemployment rate and putting won’t be coming,” Balog said. Pastor Previously, Balog toured student dor - a halt to emigration, only classes ac - noted that effort should be made to mitories Apacai and Evropa in Novi Sad and prior to a press conference he and Pastor had talks behind closed doors. Pastor thanked the Hungarian Govern - ment on its aid, adding that the stu - dent dormitory Evropa would not have been completed without it, that it would not even function without the aid from Hungary and that there would not be a scholarship program either. Pastor said that he and Balog had discussed new programs: the purchase and reconstruction of the university centre based in Subotica, the fifth phase of reconstruction of the building of the Faculty of Peda - gogy in Hungarian in Subotica, reso - lution of financial problems of this Fa - culty and preservation of the building credited exclusively in Serbia and implement the ambitious conclusions of the High Technical School in Subo - taught by domestic professors are ac - from the roundtable. The reality is tica. Pastor said that he asked Balog ceptable, while they support the hi - that the Alliance of the Vojvodina for aid in the completion of a building ring of visiting professors from Hun - Hungarians and the Hungarian Go - of the Salasarski Theatre in Kavil, the gary only if it is temporary, and in vernment have completely harmoni - development of the Sencani Chamber agreement with the local institutions. sed positions, Pastor said. The essence Theatre, the financing of the Madjar Balog said that as long as domestic of this position is that the Novi Sad Szo and Het Napa (newspapers of the professors are not able to give lectu - University and all of its faculties have Hungarian National Council), and the res, there cannot be obstacles to “sha - the priority, but that there are needs development of the Holy Well in Do - ring the resources.” “This does not which can be met only by relocation roslov. Balog said that the widening mean a competition, since students of Hungarian universities since those of higher education in Subotica is in will get their diplomas here. It would courses cannot be taught at the Novi the first place, and that there is an in - be a competition in case young people Sad University. He added that this tention to build a serious campus. Mo - leave to study in Segedin, Budapest party does not think that establishing ney for the purchase of a building has or Western Europe,” the Hungarian a Hungarian university in Subotica is been secured; the Sekeres Laszlo minister said, adding that young peo - realistic, but thinks that the Novi Sad Foundation will head the project. He ple must not be deprived of a freedom University, the Pedagogical Faculty in confirmed that the Hungarian Univer - of movement. It is important that they Hungarian in Subotica and the Hun - sity campus will be a branch of the have the desire to return, and projects garian campus are important. 15 Minority News This newsle9er is funded by the Open Society Founda8on, Embassy of the United States of America in Belgrade and the OSCE Mission in Serbia. Opinions expressed in Minority News newsle9er do not necessarily represent the official posi8ons of the Governments and and organiza8ons that fund this project.