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May 20, 2009

20. May 2009.

Milan Markovic, President of the Coordination Body for South Serbia, said yesterday that the establishment of multi-ethnic governments in Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja would lead to an ease of tensions in that part of Serbia. At a session of the Serbian Parliament’s Board for Multi-Ethnic Relations, at which the current political and economic situation in Bujanovac was discussed, Mr. Markovic said  that the establishment of multi-ethnic governments in Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja is a presumption for peaceful and stable work, as well as for good relations in those three municipalities. According to Mr. Markovic, the multi-ethnic governments would  reflect multi-ethnic make-up of the population of these three municipalities. In Mr. Markovic’s words, the problem is caused by the fact that Serbs don’t participate in the local governments in the municipalities of Presevo and Bujanovac. He added that the issues of integrating Albanians and Roma in the republican institutions was being tackled by the Serbian government. Mr. Markovic, who is Minister of Public Administration and Local Self – Government, said that he had suggested the signing of an agreement on participation of Serbs in the local  government, as well as on the integration of Albanians in the republican institutions.“Only together can we overcome the complicated situation,“ said Mr. Markovic and added thar according to his suggestion, around 10 per cent of representatives of Serbs would participate in the government in the municipality of Presevo, while 35 per cent of them would participate in the government in Bujanovac. Mr. Markovic says that the situation in South Serbia is further complicated by a bad economic situation, the Kosovo issue, as well as by a reduction in the Coordination Body’s budget.