The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Serbia Ivica Dacic participated at the 128th Session of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, in Elsinor (Denmark), held from 17 to 18 May 2018.

While assessing the 128th Session in Elsinor to be an excellent occasion to exchange views on the main current issues and challenges in the field of democracy, rule of law and human rights in Europe and within the Organization, Minister Dacic expressed the support to the proposals of Secretary-General towards seeking solutions to the ongoing crisis in the Organization and joint consideration of the role and objectives of the Council of Europe, aimed at achieving greater unity in Europe. He underlined the importance of the Organization and welcomed the approach focused on strengthening the unity and coordination of the two major Council of Europe statutory bodies – the Committee of Ministers and the Parliamentary Assembly, and is committed to finding constructive, transparent and pragmatic solutions.

Furthermore, the Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed the satisfaction about the fact that Croatia had identified protection of persons belonging to national minorities among its Committee of Ministers Chairmanship as one of the priorities, bearing in mind the fact that Serbia attaches great importance to the promotion and protection of the rights of national minorities. At the same time, he underlined the expectation of Serbia that all rights of persons belonging to the Serbian national minority in neighbouring countries will be fully respected in line with the Council of Europe standards, including the right to use their own language and script.

In addition, he welcomed the adoption of the Copenhague Declaration because it will significantly contribute to the future functioning of the European Court of Human Rights.

Minister Dacic said that Serbia would remain devoted to the promotion of European standards in the field of the protection of human rights and highlighted the results of the cooperation between Serbia and Council of Europe bodies such as the Group of States against Corruption (GRECO) and the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT). He also addressed to the Committee of Ministers the expectations that the CPT would appropriately react to the brutal assault on the Director of the Office for Kosovo and Metohija Mr. Marko Djuric on 26th March, who was subjected to torture and humiliating treatment by the police in Kosovska Mitrovica.

In the end, he reminded that Serbia supported the continuation of the engagement of the Council of Europe in Kosovo and Metohija, in full compliance with the UNSC Resolution 1244 and status-neutral approach.