OSCE Mission to Serbia supports preparations for upcoming Minority Council elections

BELGRADE, 10 September 2014 – The OSCE Mission to Serbia, at the request of the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government and the Republican Electoral Commission, supported the translation into several minority languages of  legislation related to the upcoming elections to the National Councils of National Minorities (NMCs).

As of today, relevant legislation and instructions for elections to the NMCs will be available in eleven minority languages which are in official use in at least one local self-government unit. The languages are: Albanian, Bosnian, Bulgarian, Croatian, Czech, Hungarian, Macedonian, Montenegrin, Slovak, Romanian and Ruthenian.

“We believe that a better understanding of the legislation in the pre-election phase will increase the participation of persons belonging to national minorities in electing their respective Councils,” said the Acting Head of Mission, Michael Uyehara. “The OSCE Mission to Serbia remains committed to the expanded participation of members of Serbia’s national minorities in political processes and national discourse.”

Translations of the Law on National Councils of National Minorities and other legislation regulating the council elections are available at:

• Law on National Councils of National Minorities
• Rulebook on the Format and Content of the Form Used for Collecting Signatures of Voters Supporting Electors
• Rulebook on the Method of Maintaining the Special Electoral Roll of National Minorities
• Rulebook on the Manner of Registration into and Maintenance of the Register of National Councils
• Instructions for the Implementation of Direct Elections for Members of the National Councils of National Minorities
• Schedule of electoral activities in the procedure of implementation of direct elections for members of the national councils of national minorities