Initial Work and Advocacy Plan

May, 2006

Regional movements in Serbia

– Sources of conflict or part of the solution?

 Aim of the project

The objective of the project is to analyze the situation of ethnic minority communities in Serbia and to examine how decentralization of Serbia would benefit minority groups and reduce ethnic tensions. The project is particularly interested in looking at how decentralization should be carried out in Serbia if the interests of ethnic minorities are taken into account. The paper will develop policy recommendations for the European Parliament delegation on the Balkans, Enlargement DG of the European Commission, Member States delegations and Serbian political decisions makers and experts.

My research will consist of:

– Analysing the general situation – including the main grievances and demands – of three minority groups in Serbia that constitute a majority in some municipalities. These are: 

·         Hungarians in Vojvodina,

·         Sandzak Muslims,

·         Albanians in Southern Serbia.

– Examining the current situation of local governments in Serbia and looking at the ongoing internal debate about decentralization.

– Mapping the different models of decentralization available in Europe with the aim of finding some applicable examples. The purpose of such analysis would be to develop policy recommendations with regards to how municipal self-governments should be strengthened and which additional authorities they should be endowed.

– Looking for instruments that could foster local democracy and which could be applicable in the Serbian context.

– Developing policy recommendations regarding decentralization in light of potential security threats and the situation and interest of ethnic minorities.

Identification of OSI network programs that may serve as partners and the expected benefits from the cooperation:

• Cooperation with the OSI EU office in Brussels would be crucial in finding the key actors in EU institutions that could be interested in the findings of the research. Participating at OSI organized events in Brussels would also provide me with the opportunity to conduct a dialogue with experts and officials working in EU institutions about the EU’s policy towards Serbia and particularly the EU’s position on the question of decentralization.
• Cooperation with the OSI Belgrade office would help me to establish contacts with NGO’s, think-tanks, experts and politicians in Serbia.  

Advocating my research findings:

Interviews, workshops and meetings

• Organizing meetings with policy-makers and experts in Serbia would be beneficial not only to gather information about the decentralization process but would also provide me with the opportunity to advocate my findings through discussions.
• Participating at conferences and workshops organised by CEPS and OSI in Brussels.
• Meeting with experts and officials working in EU institutions and other related institutions such as the Council of Europe in order to advocate the policy findings of the paper.

Policy paper  

• I would circulate the policy paper to EU decision-makers and to experts and policy makers in Serbia.
• I would disseminate my research paper through the Balkans Academic News list, CEPS, OSI network, publish it in the journal of Southeast European Politics.
• I would write opinion pieces in journals (euroactiv and EUobserver).