Bushati: Specific projects for national minorities.

The Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs has initiated a consultation process with the national minorities on the bylaws of the Law “On National Minorities of the Republic of Albania”. In this framework, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, Ditmir Bushati, Deputy Minister Artemis Dralo and Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights, Vasilika Hysi, were in Shkodra to participate in a public hearing with the Serb and Montenegrin minorities on the bylaws of the Law “On National Minorities of the Republic of Albania”.

In his speech, Minister Bushati underlined that MEFA has started this consultation process in order to respond to the demands of all minorities and that Albania is committed to the implementation of human rights.

“I have discussed with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Montenegro and with the Serbian Foreign Minister as well, on the need to build specific projects that are most suitable for the features that the minorities have here,” underlined Minister Bushati.

Additionally, Minister Bushati stressed that “Despite the substantial progress made in this area and the novelties brought by the law, we have considerable work ahead of us, initially with the redefinition of the entire architecture in the field of protection and promotion of minority rights, cooperation with local authorities and with the main representatives of different minorities in Albania”.

For her part, the Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on Human Rights Vasilika Hysi highlighted that “There has been a long consultation process, but many minorities were concerned with the bylaws of this Law and this consultation process is a proper practice for drafting the right legal framework”.

The first hearing took place in Tirana under the auspices of Deputy Minister Dralo, who continues consultations with all stakeholders for the preparation of these acts.