COALITION AGAINST DISCRIMINATION

 

Belgrade, Serbia /February 12th 2010/ - Coalition against Discrimination calls upon political parties to support a candidate for the Commissioner for Equality Protection who complies with all legal requirements and who is supported by organizations dealing with rights of minority groups and human rights. At the same time, we appeal to the Democratic Party (DS) to withdraw their nomination of Dr Milutin Đuričić, since the beneficiaries of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination are not supportive of him, and furthermore, this nominee does not seem to meet the selection criteria stipulated by law. We expect all parliamentary caucuses that voted for the Law against Discrimination to support Goran Miletić, a candidate backed by over 160 civil society organizations and the only candidate who meets the legal requirements pertaining to competence and high moral qualities.

The part of the Law against Discrimination referring to foundation of the institution of Equality Protection Commissioner came into force on January 1st 2010 and, therefore, the Parliament is obliged to select the Commissioner within 60 days. The Candidate shall be decided on by the Constitutional Affairs Committee, and only the parliamentary caucuses are entitled to submit proposals. Goran Miletić, candidate of the Coalition against Discrimination, was nominated to the Constitutional Affairs Committee within the deadline set to caucuses for nomination submission by the Parliament Speaker. At the same time, he meets all the requirements envisaged by law and has the full support of 163 organizations dealing with human and minority rights.

A week after the deadline set by the Parliament Speaker expired, the Democratic Party nominated Milutin Đuričić. According to the data in possession of the Coalition, also available on the web page of the Ministry for Human and Minority Rights, this candidate does not meet the legal requirements vis-a-vis professional experience in the area of human rights, because his CV does not reveal any involvement with discrimination, human or minority rights within a 10-year period. Also, this candidate is not supported by groups of population for the protection of which the Law against Discrimination was adopted, which deprives him of moral legitimacy to be appointed to this position.

Equality Protection Commissioner will have a decisive role in oversight of the Law implementation and will be authorized to receive and consider citizens' applications. His role will also be to assess whether discrimination happened in individual cases and to implement protection measures in accordance with the Law. The Commissioner will also initiate implementation of other measures contributing to improvement of equality for the citizens of Serbia, as well as regularly report to the National Assembly, other public authorities and the public on discrimination cases.

We deem that in his so-far work in the area of minority rights and combating discrimination, Goran Miletić has proven to be competent in work and committed to advocating equality for all Serbian citizens. We also emphasize that his high moral integrity was rendered incontestable with the support of over 160 civil society organizations. His work has included reporting on all minority group rights, representing discrimination victims, civil servant training, comparative law arrangements for this area, practice in the regional and EU countries, as well as ways of implementing Council of Europe's anti-discriminatory standards. In his work, Goran Miletić has participated in drafting the 2009 Law against Discrimination and in public hearings thereupon, and the 2006 Law on Prevention of Discrimination against Persons with Disabilities, as well as in public hearing processes for anti-discriminatory laws in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Moldova, Montenegro and Macedonia.

Because of the importance of the Commissioner's institution for the Law implementation, we consider it necessary to complete the selection process by March 1st 2010, i.e. within the legal deadline. Voicing our full support to Goran Miletić as a candidate for Equality Protection Commissioner, we appeal to the Democratic Party to reconsider their nomination, as well as the fact that the Commissioner selection cannot be done ignoring the minorities and opposing the expressed will of the beneficiaries of the Law on Prohibition of Discrimination.

The Coalition against Discrimination consists of: Centre for Advancement of Legal Studies, Civil Rights Defenders, Gay-Strait Alliance, Labris – lesbian human rights organization, Anti-Trafficking Centre, the Network of Human Right Committees (CHRIS Network), the Association of Students with Disabilities, Initiative for Inclusion “VelikiMali“ and Gayten LGBT.

For further information: Saša Gajin, M. Sc, coordinator of Coalition against Discrimination, cups@cups.rs ili 064/165-0775

 

The nomination of Goran Miletić as candidate for Equality Protection Commissioner is supported by the following organizations:

1. Academica – akademska grupa
2. Anti-trafiking centar
3. Asocijacija DUGA
4. Autonomni ženski centar
5. Beogradski centar za ljudska prava
6. CedeumIdea
7. CeGraD
8. Centar lokalne demokratije LDA, Niš
9. Centar modernih veština
10. Centar potrošača Srbije (CEPS)
11. Centar za demokratiju i razvoj juga Srbije
12. Centar za edukaciju, toleranciju i multikulturalizam
13. Centar za eko-ruralni razvoj, Aleksandrovo
14. Centar za evroatlanske studije
15. Centar za integraciju mladih
16. Centar za Jednaka Prava
17. Centar za kulturnu dekontaminaciju
18. Centar za ljudska prava, Niš
19. Centar za multikulturno obrazovanje, Preševo
20. Centar za prava manjina
21. Centar za razvoj civilnih resursa - Niš
22. Centar za razvoj civilnog društva, Zrenjanin
23. Centar za razvoj građanskog društva PROTECTA, Niš
24. Centar za regionalnu politiku, Niš
25. Centar za samostalni život invalida, Niš
26. Centar za toleranciju i integraciju juga Srbije - CTI JS
27. Centar za unapređivanje pravnih studija
28. CHRIS: Građanski forum Novi Pazar
29. CHRIS: Odbor za ljudska prava Negotin
30. CHRIS: Odbor za ljudska prava Niš
31. CHRIS: Odbor za ljudska prava Valjevo
32. CHRIS: Odbor za ljudska prava Vranje
33. CHRIS: Vojvođanski centar za ljudska prava, Novi Sad
34. CIP Humana Beograd, NVO iz Beograda
35. Civilni resurs centar Bujanovac
36. DENIZEN, Centar za građanski razvoj Svrljig
37. Društvo dobre akcije, Niš
38. Društvo za pomoć mentalno nedovoljno razvijenim osobama BISER, Srbobran
39. Društvo za pomoć MNRO, Niš
40. Društvo za pomoć osobama ometenim u razvoju Stari Grad
41. Društvo za zaštitu i unapređenje mentalnog zdravlja dece i omladine, Niš
42. Edukacioni centar, Leskovac
43. ELSA Srbije (Evropsko udruženje studenata prava)
44. Evropa nema alternativu
45. Evropski pokret u Srbiji, Niš
46. Evropsko udruženje studenata prava sa Pravnog fakulteta u Nišu - ELSA lokalna grupa Niš
47. Fond turistički klaster mikroregije, Subotica-Palić
48. Fond za humanitarno pravo
49. Fond za otvoreno društvo
50. Fond za razvoj neprofitnog sektora AP Vojvodine
51. Forum nevladinih organizacija, Kraljevo
52. Gay-Straight Alijansa
53. Gayten LGBT
54. GLIC - Gej lezbejski info centar
55. Gradsko udruženje cerebralne i dečje paralize, Niš
56. Građanske inicijative
57. Građanski centar Kragujevac
58. Grupa "MOST"
59. Hartefakt fond
60. Helsinški odbor za ljudska prava
61. HORA, grupa za emancipaciju žena iz Valjeva
62. Inicijativa mladih za ljudska prava
63. Inicijativa za inkluziju "VelikiMali"
64. Inicijativa za integraciju Vranje
65. Inicijativa za prava osoba sa mentalnim invaliditetom Srbije - MDRI
66. Inkluzivni pokret
67. ISAC Fund
68. Istraživači Romi, Žabalj
69. IZ KRUGA
70. KHR 1804 Team
71. Kokoro, NVO iz Bora
72. Kolektiv, nezavisna umetnička asocijacija
73. Kompjuterski kamp za decu, udruženje građana iz Novog Sada
74. Kormilo, udruženje građana iz Zrenjanina
75. Kulturni centar DamaD, Novi Pazar
76. Kulturni forum, Sremska Mitrovica
77. Labris - organizacija za lezbejska ljudska prava
78. LINET
79. Mali razvojni klub, Udruženje građana iz Srpske Crnje
80. Medija Centar
81. Medija i reform centar, Niš
82. MillenniuM, NVO iz Kragujevca
83. Mladi advokati Beograda
84. Mladi istraživači Srbije
85. Mladi pravnici Srbije
86. Moderno društvo Bujanovac
87. Narodni parlament Leskovac
88. NEC-RP, Kragujevac
89. Nezavisno društvo novinara Vojvodine
90. Nezavisno udruženje novinara Srbije
91. Niško udruženje studenata sa hendikepom
92. Novosadski ekološki centar - NEC
93. Novosadski humanitarni centar
94. NVO Fraktal
95. NVO POkret ZDravo
96. NVO Šumska vila
97. Odbor za Ljudska Prava, Bujanovac
98. Omladina JAZAS-a
99. Omladinski forum za edukaciju Roma
100. Opštinsko udruženje za pomoć deci i osobama ometenim u razvoju, Sjenica
101. Organizacija za razvoj i demokratiju, Bujanovac
102. PAAD Centar, Novi Bečej
103. Partneri za demokratske promene Srbija
104. Pokret Balkana
105. Poslovno udruženje Asocijacije nezavisnih lokalnih medija "Lokal Pres"
106. Praxis
107. Prijatelji dece Inđije
108. Prijatelji dece Zemuna
109. Prijatelji dece, Voždovac
110. Proakcija – organizacija civilnog društva
111. Queeria - Centar za promociju kulture nenasilja i različitosti
112. Regionalni centar za manjine
113. Resurs centar Beograd
114. Resurs centar Čukarica
115. Resurs centar Niš
116. Resurs centar Stari Grad
117. Romkinje u dekadi, udruženje građana iz Čuruga
118. Romski centar za demokratiju
119. Romski centar za žene i decu DAE, Beograd
120. Romski humanitarni centar, Bujanovac
121. Romski Kulturni Centar Vranjska Banja
122. Ruke prijateljstva, NVO iz Kraljeva
123. Sandžački intelektualni krug, Novi Pazar
124. Sandžački odbor za zaštitu ljudskih prava i sloboda, Novi Pazar
125. Savez gluvih i nagluvih Srbije
126. Savez Vlaha Srbije
127. SOS telefon za žene i decu žrtve nasilja
128. SPAS, udruženje građana iz Zrenjanina
129. Sportsko društvo za decu i omladinu sa posebnim potrebama PALESTRA, Kruševac
130. SPY - siguran puls mladih
131. Stav +, Subotica
132. Svetionik, Udruženje građana iz Loznice
133. Taboo, grupa za afirmaciju različitosti, Zrenjanin
134. TIMOC Press
135. Udruženje "Pavlos", Vlasotince
136. Udruženje građana "Delfin"
137. Udruženje građana "POLIS FEST" Subotica
138. Udruženje građana sa hendikepom "FREND", Majdanpek
139. Udruženje građana Zajedno
140. Udruženje likovnih stvaralaca Šapca
141. Udruženje ratnih vojnih invalida, Beograd
142. Udruženje rodoljubno spasiteljstvo-MAKOS
143. Udruženje Roma "Novi svet"
144. Udruženje Roma Braničevskog okruga
145. Udruženje Roma Zemun
146. Udruženje Romkinja "Osvit", Niš
147. Udruženje studenata sa hendikepom
148. Udruženje za podršku osobama sa smetnjama u razvoju, „Naša kuća“
149. Udruženje za saradnju i posredovanje MOST
150. Udruženje žena "Prosperiteti", Bujanovac
151. UNDP
152. United Balkan
153. Urban In, Novi Pazar
154. URBAN –IN, Novi Pazar
155. Užički centar za prava deteta
156. Vojvođanka - Regionalna ženska inicijativa
157. Vojvođanska zelena inicijativa, Novi Sad
158. Vojvođanski građanski centar
159. Youth Cultural Center REFORMARS
160. YUKOM
161. Zelena mreža Vojvodine, Novi Sad
162. Žene u crnom
163. Žene za mir, Leskovac
164. Ženski forum Negotin
165. ŽRMB: Romski ženski centar „Rromnjako Ilo“, Zrenjanin
166. ŽRMB: Udruženje Roma "Danica", Pančevo
167. ŽRMB: Udruženje Roma Niš