National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia / Activities / Activity details
Wednesday, 14 April 2004
Talks with ethnic minority representatives
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.
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.
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10.30 - the members of the PFG with Italy, the Holy See and the Sovereign Order of Malta meet with the Deputy Prime Minister of Italy (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, hall 3)
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11.00 - the Head and members of the PFG with the Benelux meet with a delegation of the Belgian Federal Parliament (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, hall 2)
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11.50 - the National Assembly Deputy Speaker and Chairperson of the European Integration Committee and the Committee members meet with the delegation of the Belgian Federal Parliament (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, hall 2)
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12.00 - press conference of the Party of Freedom and Justice Parliamentary Group (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, Central Hall)
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12.00 - the National Assembly Speaker at the opening ceremony of the Conference of Parliament Speakers of EU Candidate Countries (Palace of Serbia, 2 Mihajlo Pupin Boulevard, Belgrade)
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12.15 - the Serbian youth, members of the folklore group “Morava”, Cleveland, Ohio, visit the National Assembly House (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square)
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15.30 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with the Chairman of the Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada (Palace of Serbia, 2 Mihajlo Pupin Boulevard, Belgrade)
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16.45 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with the Moldovan Parliament Speaker (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, hall 1)
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17.30 - the National Assembly Speaker meets with the Georgian Parliament Speaker (National Assembly House, 13 Nikola Pasic Square, hall 1)