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REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COORDINATION BODY, STATE INSTITUTIONS’ MINISTRIES AND THE OSCE AT A MEETING WITH THE ALBANIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL

7. November 2019.

Presevo, Bujanovac, Medvedja – At a meeting organized by the Coordination Body of the Government of the Republic of Serbia for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, and supported by the OSCE Mission to Serbia, the National Council of the Albanian National Minority presented the draft Work Strategy for the period from  2020 to 2025. The first in a series of meetings was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, the Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government, the Ministry of Culture and Information, the Office for Human and Minority Rights, the Office of the Coordination Body for the Municipalities of Presevo, Bujanovac and Medvedja, the Institute for the Advancement of Education and the OSCE. 

Ragmi Mustafa, the President of the Albanian National Council (ANC), presented parts of the Strategy in four areas in which the ANC has authority, which include the official use of language and script, information, education and culture.  In a constructive atmosphere, representatives of the Ministries and institutions agreed that that type of coordination was necessary in further work,  so that the position of the Albanian national minority could be improved in all vital segments.

The strategy, among other things, envisages printing the Directory of Common Albanian Names, using the names of institutions and streets bilingually and using the Albanian language in public institutions, improving the provision of information to the Albanian minority through supporting the production of Albanian-language media and professionalizing media workers. In the education segment, three topics were identified, which include providing textbooks for elementary and secondary schools, advanced training and professional development of Albanian language teachers and recognition of diplomas. In the field of culture, the topics of interest included the construction of the Internet platform “Digital Museum”, the completion of an Albanian-language literary fund in public libraries in the three municipalities and the establishment of a Cultural Institute.

Representatives of all state institutions at the meeting agreed to provide full and necessary support with the implementation of the ANC Strategy.

Source: Coordination Body