Today, at the National Assembly House, representatives of the Deputy Groups at the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia received Björn Von Sydow, rapporteur of the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly Political Affairs Committee, currently in a two-day visit to Belgrade.

Deputy Groups’ Representatives, deputies Elvira Kovac, Ivan Andric, Milos Aligrudic and Nikola Lazic talked to rapporteur Von Sydow about realising and protecting human rights in Kosovo-Metohija, as well as the issue of displaced persons and their return to Kosovo-Metohija.

DPS Deputy Group Head Milos Aligrudic stressed that the majority of displaced persons wish to return to Kosovo-Metohija, but that insufficient safety and security, as well as unclear state policy towards Kosovo-Metohija remain the core problems. He also added that international institutions need to put some of the pressure onto the Albanian side which should ensure the citizens’ safety. LDP Deputy Group deputy Ivan Andric stressed that only the elderly return to Kosovo because the young feel insecure and a lack of perspective. He added that specific state programmes should provide these people with choice. Minorities’ Deputy Group deputy Elvira Kovac talked about achieving ethnic minority rights in Serbia, as well as the lack of laws to regulate the field, focusing on the presence of ethnic minority representatives in public administration.

Rapporteur Von Sydow talked to the deputies about Serbia’s readiness to support the return of displaced persons to Kosovo-Metohija, as well as to support those displaced persons who wish to remain where they currently reside and enable them to fully integrate into society.