Newsroom
OSCE Yugoslavia Mission welcomes announcement of early municipal elections in southern Serbia
BELGRADE 7 February 2002
BELGRADE, 7 February 2002 - The OSCE Mission to the Federal Republic Yugoslavia (FRY) is very pleased with the formal announcement about the organizing of early municipal elections in southern Serbia, made in the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna today by Nebojsa Covic, the Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and President of the Co-ordinating Body for that region.
"The decision of Deputy Prime Minister Covic to call early elections in southern Serbia is not only an important step in the further normalization of this region, but is also seen by the Mission as a reward for its active engagement in the developments there", said Stefano Sannino, the Head of the OSCE Mission, after the Permanent Council meeting.
Following Minister Covic's intervention, the Federal Minister for National and Ethnic Communities, Rasim Ljajic, addressed the 55 OSCE Delegations, and presented them the FRY draft law on National Minorities, which is expected to enter the Federal Parliamentary procedure next week.
Since May 2001, the OSCE Mission to the FRY has developed an important programme of activities aimed at improving the relations between various ethnic groups in southern Serbia. This includes in particular the training and establishment of a multi-ethnic police force and the transformation of municipal media in Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja into public services for members of all ethnic communities living in this area. Recently, the Mission has focused its attention also on the need for early municipal elections.
"The organizing of these elections is a new and essential element of the ongoing democratic process in southern Serbia. Needless to say, it presents a challenging task to all those involved and requires careful preparations. The OSCE Mission is proud and happy to be involved and will work hard to bring this process to a successful conclusion", said Mr. Sannino, and added that issues that needed to be addressed first are the boundaries of electoral units and the updating of voters lists.
"The decision of Deputy Prime Minister Covic to call early elections in southern Serbia is not only an important step in the further normalization of this region, but is also seen by the Mission as a reward for its active engagement in the developments there", said Stefano Sannino, the Head of the OSCE Mission, after the Permanent Council meeting.
Following Minister Covic's intervention, the Federal Minister for National and Ethnic Communities, Rasim Ljajic, addressed the 55 OSCE Delegations, and presented them the FRY draft law on National Minorities, which is expected to enter the Federal Parliamentary procedure next week.
Since May 2001, the OSCE Mission to the FRY has developed an important programme of activities aimed at improving the relations between various ethnic groups in southern Serbia. This includes in particular the training and establishment of a multi-ethnic police force and the transformation of municipal media in Bujanovac, Presevo and Medvedja into public services for members of all ethnic communities living in this area. Recently, the Mission has focused its attention also on the need for early municipal elections.
"The organizing of these elections is a new and essential element of the ongoing democratic process in southern Serbia. Needless to say, it presents a challenging task to all those involved and requires careful preparations. The OSCE Mission is proud and happy to be involved and will work hard to bring this process to a successful conclusion", said Mr. Sannino, and added that issues that needed to be addressed first are the boundaries of electoral units and the updating of voters lists.