Council for National Minorities holds constitutive session

BELGRADE - The Council for National Minorities on Wednesday held a constitutive session, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State Administration and Local Self-Government Kori Udovicki.

Serbia can say with pride that it represents a multi-ethnic community with around 30 national communities, Udovicki said at the session.

According to a statement from the Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government, she noted that all national communities, in addition to respect of the highest international standards, have minority rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

Different national communities, with or without mother countries and different in size or specific traits, enjoy the right to their own identities and cultural self-government, Udovicki noted.

The session was also attended by Minister of Education Srdjan Verbic, Minister of Culture Ivan Tasovac, state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Veljko Odalovic and state secretary of the Ministry of State Administration and Local Self-Government Ivan Bosnjak, as well as by representatives of 20 national councils and the Federation of the Jewish Communities of Serbia.

Photo Tanjug, T. Valic