OSCE Skopje Mission donates translation equipment to promote inter-ethnic dialogue

SKOPJE, 9 March 2006 - Ensuring a greater participation by local citizens in the activities of Cucer Sandevo is the aim of the decision by the OSCE Spillover Monitoring Mission to Skopje to donate equipment for simultaneous translation to the municipality.

Voislav Karancic, the Mayor of Cucer Sandevo, thanked the OSCE Mission, saying: "This donation will help each community express themselves in their native language, which is extremely important for improving inter-ethnic dialogue in the municipality. It will also make the municipal councilors more effective."

Philipp Stiel, the Head of the Public Administration Reform Department of the OSCE Mission, said: "This donation will help Cucer Sandevo to be a forward-thinking and inclusive municipality where people have the means to come together as a larger community."

The new equipment will be used during sessions of the municipal council conducted in Macedonian, Serbian and Albanian, as well as for the activities of local NGO's and public debates.

The OSCE Mission has been working closely with the municipality's inter-ethnic commission on other activities to engage its citizens in local decision-making.