Minister on minorities, decentralization

Minority and Human Rights Minister Svetozar Ciplic said that minorities have the least problems in Serbia compared to neighboring countries. “Europe recognizes this as well. Single cases of violating human rights can be counted on one hand, and that is why the international community says that the situation is not only good, but excellent,” Ciplic told daily Vecernje Novosti. Minister on minorities, decentralization He rejected claims coming from the chief mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia, Muamer Zukorlic, that Serbia is violating the human rights of Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), adding that Bosniaks in Sandzak and Albanians in the south of Serbia have the same rights as Serbs. Ciplic said that in contemporary Europe it is impossible to internationalize the Albanian and Bosniak question in Serbia, adding that "there is nothing to internationalize, because that question does not exist". “There are only ambitions of individuals who are building their leadership positions on political manipulation,” Ciplic said. Regarding the announced decentralization of Serbia, the minister said that does not represent and introduction to "a new partition of the country", but that autonomous provinces or regions will make Serbia stronger and able to move forward economically. All this, he continued, provided that the state implements "fast and efficient mechanisms of control over them". Ciplic said that he hopes that the question of Vojvodina’s statute and the law for transferring authorities will be finished quickly in parliament. “It is important that there is a consensus in the government and that through regionalization and the statute process is completed so that Serbia as a decentralized country will end up a country according to European standards, in line with the Serbian Constitution,” he said. The minister said that he expects that the parliament to adopt the Public Information Law on August 31, and that he “has no dilemma” that a majority will support the law. “The Information Law would not enter parliamentary procedures if there was doubt that a majority would support its adoption,” Ciplic said.

Minister on minorities, decentralization

He rejected claims coming from the chief mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia, Muamer Zukorlić, that Serbia is violating the human rights of Bosniaks (Bosnian Muslims), adding that Bosniaks in Sandžak and Albanians in the south of Serbia have the same rights as Serbs.

Čiplić said that in contemporary Europe it is impossible to internationalize the Albanian and Bosniak question in Serbia, adding that "there is nothing to internationalize, because that question does not exist".

“There are only ambitions of individuals who are building their leadership positions on political manipulation,” Čiplić said.

Regarding the announced decentralization of Serbia, the minister said that does not represent and introduction to "a new partition of the country", but that autonomous provinces or regions will make Serbia stronger and able to move forward economically.

All this, he continued, provided that the state implements "fast and efficient mechanisms of control over them".

Čiplić said that he hopes that the question of Vojvodina’s statute and the law for transferring authorities will be finished quickly in parliament.

“It is important that there is a consensus in the government and that through regionalization and the statute process is completed so that Serbia as a decentralized country will end up a country according to European standards, in line with the Serbian Constitution,” he said.

The minister said that he expects that the parliament to adopt the Public Information Law on August 31, and that he “has no dilemma” that a majority will support the law.

“The Information Law would not enter parliamentary procedures if there was doubt that a majority would support its adoption,” Čiplić said.