Minorities to choose representatives in vote

Elections will be held throughout Serbia, in which over 400,000 members of national minority groups will vote for their representatives in 161 municipalities.

Izvor: B92

Sunday, 06.06.2010.

10:39

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Elections will be held throughout Serbia, in which over 400,000 members of national minority groups will vote for their representatives in 161 municipalities. The voting on Sunday will be personal and secret, with each person circling the number and name of the election list of choice on their ballot, which will be of a different color for every minority. Minorities to choose representatives in vote The Council for National Minorities will be chosen by 19 minorities – 16 with direct elections, while Croat, Macedonian and Slovenian officials will be elected in indirect elections, through an electoral assembly. Human and Minority Rights Ministry official Petar Antic told B92 that there will be 77 different lists competing in the election, adding that there are more Vlach and Roma candidates than from any other minority. “These are the first elections in which national minorities will choose their representatives in a direct way, and in that way, have an effect on their own rights and concretely in the fields of education, information, and the official use of their language, writing and culture. Such councils have the authority in questions that are related to the identity of the minorities,” Antic said. He reminded that this is a pioneering event for Serbia, which is one of a kind in Europe. Antic said that there are no other countries in Europe holding direct elections for minority administrations on a state-wide level. Antic said that the elections will contribute to the protection of the identity of minorities in Serbia. The first unofficial election results are expected late Sunday night, while the final results should be know by June 9. There has been criticism of the election by some minorities, especially Hungarians and Bosniaks, who believe that some parties from the state government are trying to interfere with the process. Despite this, expectations are great, because after the elections, the council will be working towards the rights to culture, language, and information at a much high level than the case has been in Serbia. According to preliminary results, about 18.4 percent of registered minority citizens participated in the elections by 12:00 CET.

Minorities to choose representatives in vote

The Council for National Minorities will be chosen by 19 minorities – 16 with direct elections, while Croat, Macedonian and Slovenian officials will be elected in indirect elections, through an electoral assembly.

Human and Minority Rights Ministry official Petar Antić told B92 that there will be 77 different lists competing in the election, adding that there are more Vlach and Roma candidates than from any other minority.

“These are the first elections in which national minorities will choose their representatives in a direct way, and in that way, have an effect on their own rights and concretely in the fields of education, information, and the official use of their language, writing and culture. Such councils have the authority in questions that are related to the identity of the minorities,” Antić said.

He reminded that this is a pioneering event for Serbia, which is one of a kind in Europe. Antić said that there are no other countries in Europe holding direct elections for minority administrations on a state-wide level.

Antić said that the elections will contribute to the protection of the identity of minorities in Serbia.

The first unofficial election results are expected late Sunday night, while the final results should be know by June 9.

There has been criticism of the election by some minorities, especially Hungarians and Bosniaks, who believe that some parties from the state government are trying to interfere with the process.

Despite this, expectations are great, because after the elections, the council will be working towards the rights to culture, language, and information at a much high level than the case has been in Serbia.

According to preliminary results, about 18.4 percent of registered minority citizens participated in the elections by 12:00 CET.

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