Given that a significant portion of the population of the Republic of Serbia consists of members of various national minorities, and that the issue of their status remains high on the list of priorities, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality has prepared a Compendium of selected opinions, recommendations, initiatives, warnings, and other acts concerning discrimination based on national affiliation and ethnic origin for the period 2015–2025, with the support of the OSCE Mission to Serbia.

The Compendium is intended both for the professional and the broader public, for representatives of public authorities and the media, as well as for all interested individuals, because it can serve as a useful resource for better understanding the concept of discrimination, the forms of discriminatory conduct, and the ways to prevent them.

During the presentation of the Compendium, the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality, Brankica Janković, presented examples of the use of all legally available mechanisms of the Commissioner’s work, such as an opinion issued in a case against a daily newspaper for a discriminatory article about members of the Albanian national minority, a lawsuit filed concerning the construction of a wall in front of a Roma settlement in Kruševac, public warnings issued over statements by the Mayor of Belgrade and a Member of Parliament about Roma people, and a warning to the Head of the Criminal Police Directorate for a discriminatory statement about Vlachs. Another example is the recommendation of measures to install traffic signs in Hungarian in areas where the Hungarian language is in official use, as well as a criminal complaint filed for hate speech against members of the Slovak national minority. The percentage of compliance with the institution’s recommendations by state authorities is high, on average around 80%, which indicates a willingness to continuously improve the status of national minorities in recent years, Janković noted.

Cooperation with the National Councils of National Minorities has been one of the institution’s priorities throughout these years and has been carried out continuously, as their role in preserving cultural and national identity is immeasurable. Expressing her gratitude for their cooperation and support in previous years, Janković emphasized that the National Councils are a unique mechanism for inclusion, participation, and empowerment of members of minority communities, and natural partners of the Commissioner’s institution in the shared task of strengthening tolerance and respect for diversity as fundamental values of a modern and democratic society.

Within the “Forum of National Councils of National Minorities” conference, three panels were held on the following topics: the voice of women in national councils, cultural identity, partnerships with institutions, and the role of youth in preserving minority identity. The conference was opened by Commissioner Brankica Janković and the Head of the OSCE Mission to Serbia, Marcel Peško, and included a video address by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities, Christophe Kamp.