On 8 November, Serbian citizens from 23 national minorities will have the opportunity to elect their representatives to National Minorities Councils (NMCs), exercising an important democratic right and contributing to the representation of their communities.
In line with its mandate, the OSCE Mission to Serbia has registered with the Republic Electoral Commission to be present at polling stations on the Election Day. Mission staff will visit polling stations across Serbia to follow the process first-hand as part of the Mission's mandate and its regular engagement on issues pertaining to national minorities. The Mission will not observe the elections in the capacity of an election observation mission and will not provide an assessment of the conduct or results of the elections.
NMCs play an important role in protecting and promoting collective minority rights in Serbia, with public powers in the areas of culture, education, media, and the official use of languages and scripts. Through their work, they help preserve and promote cultures of national minority communities and contribute to dialogue, inclusion and cultural diversity across Serbia.
In the run-up to the elections, the OSCE Mission to Serbia has encouraged active participation and worked to increase awareness of the electoral process. In co-operation with the civil society organization CeSID, the Mission supported outreach to national minority communities on electoral procedures, including registration in the Special Voters Registry, with particular attention to first-time voters.
The OSCE Mission to Serbia remains committed to supporting national minority rights and the full participation of persons belonging to national minorities in Serbia's public life.
The Mission looks forward to continuing its co-operation with the newly elected NMCs, in accordance with the Constitution, legislation of the Republic of Serbia and in line with the newly adopted Action Plan for the realisation of Right of National Minorities.
