The Center for Development of Civil Society (CDCS) is increasingly concerned about the latest discriminatory effects of irresponsible enforcement of the Law on Churches and Religious Communities. In this sense the CDCS alerts the administrative organs to possible considerable complications in the relations of the administrative organs of Serbia with the international organizations.

   The Center for Development of Civil Society (CDCS) invites the public to help the administration organs overcome the present confusion and lagging in exercise of the national minorities rights by a productive criticism.

   The negligence of the Ministry of Education and Sport to fulfill its obligation and consult national councils of the national minorities about the changes of the Law on Primary Education, confusion about overtaking some activities of the national councils whose term of office is coming to its end, the absence of the results regarding legal regulation of the national councils work and lagging in overtaking the activities of the former Ministry for Human and Minority Rights create a situation in which the Law on Protection of National Minorities Rights and Freedom is derogated in reality. With its criticism the public can encourage the authorized administration organs to do their job in compliance with the Law.

10 August 2006

   Dear Minister Radulovic,

   Yesterday's attack on the house of a prominent religiologist and a respectful member of the Serbian Orthodox Church, Mr. Mirko Djordjevic, cannot be understood in any other way, but caused by his appearance on the Radio Television Serbia. Considering a very inconsistent readiness and promptness of the police in discovering and bringing charges against the criminals who harass the citizens because of their religious convictions and identity, we strongly suggest you immediately intervene and contact Minister of Interior, Mr. Jocic, and urge him to order the police to discover and bring the perpetrators to justice. It is hardly believable that in such a small place where Mr. Djordjevic lives the police cannot catch the criminals. You sir, should not be reminded that the state can easily prevent right-wing extremism when it wants to and if it wants to.

   Convinced in your full dedication to high principles of protecting freedom of opinion and expression we do hope you will intervene in a quick and effective way.

Yours sincerely,

Dr Vladimir Ilic,

Executive Director

Of the Centre for Development of Civil Society

   With regard to the events triggered on the occasion of the letter of the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church addressed to the President of the Executive Council of the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, the Center for Development of Civil Society (CDCS) expresses its concern that this unproductive public discussion can be used again as an excuse to postpone passing the Bill of Law of the Freedom of Religion, Churches and Religious Communities whose Draft is finished. Therefore, the CDCS strongly supports the Ministry of Religions in its effort to continue at a steady pace its legislative initiative to pass this Bill of Law.

   The Center for Development of Civil Society (CDCS) particularly welcomes the statement of the Minister of Religions in the Government of Serbia, Mr. Milan Radulović, made this morning that the Law of the Freedom of Religion, Churches and Religious Communities is going to be passed in 2006, i.e. that the Bill of Law is going to be sent to the competent governmental boards. The CDCS estimates that this Law will put things in order in the legal chaos relatively independently of its content and that it will ensure minimum of predictability and rationality, partly regulating one important field of social life.