(NON)IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREEMENT OF THE GOVERNMENTS RELATING TO THE SOUTH OF SERBIA Publisher: The Council for Human Rights - Bujanovac Author: Belgzim Kamberi Researchers: Enkel Rexhepi Agon Islami Text, Layout and Design Production: Idea digital, Vranje Printing: Idea digital, Vranje Circulation: 350 Bujanovac, May 2016 This analysis is part of the project “Stregthening Stability in South Serbia through Integration of the Albanian National Minority”, implemented by the Council for Human Rights in Bujanovac. The views herein expressed are solely those of the author and do not reflect the position of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland and Open Society Foundation – Belgrade. This Project is funded by the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs and Open Society Foundation – Belgrade. 2 | P a g e Content INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 5 ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................................ 6 I GENERAL INFORMATION.................................................................................................. 7 1. Geographic Data on Municipalities Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja ........................ 7 1.1. Bujanovac ................................................................................................................ 7 1.2. Presevo..................................................................................................................... 7 1.3. Medvedja ................................................................................................................. 7 2. Population of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja .......................................................... 8 2.1. “The Great Census” of 2002 .................................................................................... 8 2.2. “Illegitimate” Legal Census of 2011 ....................................................................... 9 2.3. “Assessed” Census of 2015 ................................................................................... 12 II Rights of Minorities in Serbia .............................................................................................. 13 1. Legal Framework that Regulates Rights of Minorities ................................................. 13 1.1. Law on the Protection of Rights and Freedoms of National Minorities ................ 14 1.2. Constitutional Norms for Minority Rights ............................................................ 14 III Special Obligations of the Republic of Serbia towards Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja ......................................................................................................... 16 1. Obligations Envisaged by the Plan and Program for Resolution of the Crisis in Municipalities of Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja.......................................................... 16 1.1. Program Objectives and Deadlines ........................................................................ 16 2. Obligations envisaged by the Agreement on Principles for Reconstruction of the Coordination Body ............................................................................................................... 17 2.1. Agreement Objectives and Deadlines .................................................................... 18 2.2. Obligations Envisaged by the “Seven Points Plan” ............................................... 19 2.3. The Agreement Objectives and Deadlines ............................................................ 19 3. Blocked Process – Census and Judicial Reform ........................................................... 20 3.1. Problem of census boycott ..................................................................................... 20 3.2. Judicial Reform...................................................................................................... 22 IV (NON)IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................. 23 1. Representation/Integration in the Government Institutions .......................................... 23 1.1. Integration in Public Institutions and Services ...................................................... 24 1.2. Local State Institutions .......................................................................................... 27 1.3. Republic and County Institutions .......................................................................... 29 2. Economic Recovery ...................................................................................................... 32 2.1. Unemployment ...................................................................................................... 32 2.2. Subsidies to Private Companies ............................................................................ 33 3. Investments – Coordination Body for Municipalities Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja.............................................................................................................................. 34 3.1. Infrastructure (reconstruction and asphalting of roads, construction and reconstruction of school and healthcare facilities, water supply, rehabilitation of landslides, sewage) .......................................................................................................... 35 3 | P a g e 3.2. Social Welfare Benefits (one-off social aids, assistance in case of natural disasters, scholarships, school supplies) .......................................................................... 35 3.3. Non-Refundable Funds for Subsidies .................................................................... 35 3.4. Donations (awarding funds at competition for NGO projects and media) ............ 35 4. Official Use of Language, Letter and National Symbols .............................................. 35 4.1. Official Use of Language ...................................................................................... 35 4.2. Official Use of Scripts ........................................................................................... 36 4.3. Official Use of National Symbol ........................................................................... 38 5. Judicial System ............................................................................................................. 38 5.1. Law on Amnesty .................................................................................................... 38 5.2. Facing the Past and (Non)Trust of Albanian National Minority in Judicial System ............................................................................................................................. 39 5.3. Decentralization of Judicial System ...................................................................... 39 6. Education, Culture and Media ......................................................................................... 40 6.1. Education .................................................................................................................. 40 6.2. High Education in Albanian Language ................................................................. 44 6.3. Culture....................................................................................................................... 46 6.3. Media in Albanian Language ................................................................................ 49 7. Healthcare and Social Protection .................................................................................. 50 7.1. Outpatient Maternity Ward .................................................................................... 50 8. Security ......................................................................................................................... 51 8.1. Withdrawal of Exceptionally Engaged Special Military and Police Forces ......... 51 8.2. (Non) Return of Displaced Population .................................................................. 51 8.3. Opening Small Border Crossings .......................................................................... 52 CONCLUSION AND RECOMANADATION ....................................................................... 53 ANNEXES ............................................................................................................................... 55 BIBLIOGRAPHY .................................................................................................................... 65 4 | P a g e INTRODUCTION * Exactly fifteen years will be completed soon since the “Declaration on Demilitarization” of the Liberation Army of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja (UCPBM), known as the “Konculj Agreement”, had been signed. This paved way for implementation of the “Plan and Program for Resolution of the Crisis in Municipalities of Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja”, called the “Covic’s Plan”. In the meantime, other two agreements followed, one relating to reconstruction of the Coordination Body of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, and the other so called “Seven Points Plan”. They include measures that mostly refer to integration of Albanians into political, governmental and social system and respect of their human rights in accordance with European standards; establishment of safety and peace in the region; economic and social revitalization of the region