MEETING DEDICATED TO ETHNIC MINORITIES HELD AT THE CITY HALL

Member of the City Council in charge for Social Protection, Children and Family Welfare Professor Nikola Ćirović, PhD, with Head of the Mayor’s Office Mr. Aleksandar Petrović, Member of the City Council in charge for Healthcare Professor Zoltan Horvat, MD, PhD, and the President of the City Interethnic Council Ms. Ana Vozar, held a meeting today with the Expert Mission of the European Commission, dedicated to ethnic minorities.

The visiting experts to Novi Sad were Professor Rainer Hofmann, representative of the European Commission for Enlargement Ms. Dita Kudelova, representative of the EU Delegation to Serbia Ms. Ana Milenić, as well as the Advisor to the Government Office for Human and Ethnic Minority Rights Mr. Vlado Radulović.

- Novi Sad is an outstanding example how to peacefully coexist in accordance with best practices and values in one such ethnically and culturally diverse social environment. Members of various ethnic minorities in the Republic of Serbia can freely elect and vote for their councils and representatives in order to realize their rights to self-government in the areas of culture, education, official use of language and writing. – said Mr. Ćirović, PhD, adding that the diversity we cherish is our greatest treasure.
Member of the Mission Professor Hofmann expressed his pleasure for the opportunity to visit Novi Sad and attend the meeting, emphasizing that the key point are the changes that took place since the Mission’s previous visit three years ago.

- I would particularly like to emphasize the issue of ethnic minority education, use of their native language, and their inclusion into the law drafting and preparation process. – pointed out Professor Hofmann and added that the existing legal framework which regulates the rights of ethnic minorities in the Republic of Serbia is exceptionally good.

In Nоvi Sаd, March 25th 2015