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Disoriented Society and Incapable Elite Insensible of Human Rights

EUROPEAN OPTION OBSTRUCTED - The 2011 Annual Report -

Belgrade, June 20, 2012

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The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights publicized its twelfth in a row annual report that scrutinizes the situation of human rights against the overall political and socioeconomic backdrop in the past year.

Despite considerable reformist and administrative achievements in 2011 - above all the record-breaking and government-sponsored number of EU-tailored laws - Serbia's political and economic system was not fundamentally transformed, rational thinking about the country's position did not take place and a new value system preconditioning the respect for human rights was not even outlined. The report for the year 2011 is published under the title "European Option Obstructed".

"Apart from the reform of the army and, to a certain extent, of the police, a large-scale judicial reform - much disputed from the very start - took place. However, actual effects of these reformist moves were minimal. "European" laws were not implemented, corruption was not abated and independent regulatory agencies were under constant pressure from the executive branch. When the European Council postponed Serbia's candidacy problematic policies other than the crucial one (normalization of relations with Kosovo) were more openly discussed in public. This primarily refers to the faulty reform of the judiciary and the functioning of the High Judiciary Council."

These are some quotes of the introductory section titled "No Potential for a Leap Towards Europe". The introduction points out among other things:

Having opted for a "partition scenario" as a settlement of the Kosovo issue, the government neglected crucial problems plaguing the country: declining economy, reforms and regional relations. The country stagnated. The stagnation negatively affected the respect for human rights and implementation of human rights legislation. Moreover, radicalized rhetoric and radicalized public sphere impaired the overall social and political climate that preconditions minorities' inclusion. A gap between the majority nation and minorities grew deeper. Governmental policy was obviously inadequate for the promotion of interethnic tolerance and coexistence."

Apart from recommendations to the Serbian government, the civil society and the international community, the introductory section includes headlines such as "Serbia's Right Wing: The Ideology of Ethnic Homogenization," "Transitional Justice: In the Service of Suppressed Accountability" and "State and Civil Sector: Denied Partnership." On over 600 pages the Committee's 2011 report broaches topics grouped in the following chapters: "Judiciary", "People's Assembly of the Republic of Serbia", "Apparatus of Power", "Independent Regulatory Agencies", "Minorities", "Religious Communities", "Socioeconomic Frame", "Discrimination", "The Prison System", "The Media", "Decentralization and Regions", "Serbia and Neighboring Countries" and "Serbia and the World".

The 2011 annual report, circulated in Serbian and English, was published with the support from Civil Rights Defenders and Royal Norwegian Embassy. The publication in English will be soon available for downloading at www.helsinki.org.rs along with hard copies to be obtained in the Committee's offices.

Belgrade, June 20, 2012

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