The Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, met representatives of National Councils of Slovak, Ruthenian, Bulgarian, Ukrainian, Backa-Croatian, Romanian, Roma, Bosnian, Hungarian and Croatian ethnic minorities in Serbia.

Council representatives acquainted Mr Markovic with the activities of the Councils and the problems they are facing. The Councils were formed in accordance with legislation, but need the appropriate infrastructure to perform the duties foreseen by law. Representatives also expressed the wish for constant, two-way communication with government structures - the National Assembly’s Committee on Inter-ethnic Relations and the appropriate ministries. They also raised the issue of parliamentary representation, praising changes to electoral legislation and the abolishing of the five-percent threshold, whereby a party needed to win at least five percent of the total number of votes to enter parliament, but also stressing the issue of “small minorities” which remain without representation. Ethnic minority representatives also suggested introducing positive discrimination for members of ethnic minorities.

Mr Markovic underlined that co-operation and partnership with the Councils would contribute to the country’s stability, and expressed support for the Councils’ activities and their constant co-operation with the Committee on Inter-ethnic Relations.
He also stressed that protection of minorities had to be enshrined in the Constitution, and that the Councils had to be allowed to function adequately, as foreseen in the budget.