10.12.2017.

Minister Vulin at ceremony marking International Human Rights Day

Minister of Defence Aleksandar Vulin has attended today the ceremony marking the International Human Rights Day and the opening of the 2nd National Minorities Fair, held in Hall 5 of the Belgrade Fair, under the slogan Harmonious Mosaic of Serbia. Welcoming those present, Minister Vulin said:

"The fact is that Serbia, in treating its national minorities, applies standards that are far higher than the European ones, speaks well about Serbia. We do not do it because somebody is asking us to do it, or because we think that this is good for our European path, but because it is our duty to show respect for our citizens, to show that Serbia is one of the few countries, even in our neighbourhood, that does not want or support any assimilation. We love our diversity, we wish our diversity to exist and we wish to improve it, because we consider it to be our big advantage. All representatives of national communities in Serbia are a bridge for cooperation with our neighbourhood. Each national community has a very positive role when it comes to our neighbourhood. And we are trying that it remains that way. The Republic of Serbia equally likes all its citizens, and it appreciates and accepts each distinctness and wishes to preserve it. It wishes to preserve it because it is our treasure.

In his welcoming speech, Minister Vulin emphasized that there is no successful Serbia if even the smallest community in it is not satisfied: "This Serbia is as successful and good as any man that lives in it is happy. Therefore, when someone leaves, it is a pitty that he left. And when someone leaves his Serbia, he should know that it is not the same when he looks at some other cities. Only this is his city where he was born, and this is the only country where he was born. And everywhere else he will have to explain where he came from, and only here he will not have to do so. Only this is his piece of the earth, his piece of the sky and his piece of water. Long live Serbia!”

Suzana Paunović, Director of the Office for Human and Minority Rights, addressed the attendees. She underlined that this is the second fair dedicated to human and minority rights, and that in the field of minority politics something very important was achieved - a permanent dialogue between representatives of the Government of Serbia with minority communities and their national councils.

“There was no decision passed by the Serbian Government that was adopted without participation of the minorities in its creation and that they did not say their opinion about it”, Suzana Paunović emphasized. She also referred to the priorities of the Government of Serbia regarding human rights - the economic rights of all citizens, especially minorities, job creation, successful coping with migrant crisis, adoption of the Law on the Prevention of Domestic Violence, and the European Integration agenda: “Serbia is fully committed to the implementation of the Action Plan for the implementation of Chapter 23 and the obligations that this plan entails.”

The ceremony of marking the International Human Rights Day was opened with sounding the anthem of the Republic of Serbia and the performance of the national ensemble "Kolo", and continued with the cultural artistic programme and the presentation of specialties, costumes and customs of all the present national communities.