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Albanian
Helsinki Committee monitors minority
participation in local decision making
04.03.2008
In the context of its
contribution to better respect for minority and
community rights at the local level and to
increasing their participation in local decision
making, the Albanian Helsinki Committee (AHC)
conducted a survey of citizens, local government
employees, and Elbasan Municipal Council
members, regarding access of minority
representatives to services
offered by the Municipality.
Upon conclusion of the survey of
citizens and self-assessment of the Elbasan
Municipality, it resulted that:
In general, in the Elbasan
Municipality there is peaceful coexistence and
tolerance between minorities and communities
living there. Nevertheless, in their opinion,
there are displays of discrimination toward the
Roma minority. Citizens’ sensitivity toward this
problem is high.
In spite of citizens’ positive
assessment, the Elbasan Municipality does not
yet enjoy a satisfying level of citizens’ trust
with regard to its guaranteeing of protection
for minority and community rights living under
the jurisdiction of this Municipality.
Municipality citizens and
employees have little knowledge on the treatment
of minority issues in general and the role that
the Municipality and other bodies should play in
respecting minority rights. Based on the study,
it emerges that numerous misunderstandings
regarding the position of minorities and their
rights are the result of lack of information.
The situation appears disturbing
regarding the situation of minorities and
communities in terms of employment, education,
participation in decision making, housing,
health care, and care for special society
groups. In this context, the surveyed recommend
the undertaking of multi-level measures at the
local level toward these aspects.
Education is assessed as one of
the directions necessitating measures although
some of the surveyed are of the opinion that the
principle of equality should be primary in the
society. The differences in positions points to
the need for informing and training the public
administration regarding minority rights in a
society.
Employment, housing, and
education are the areas in which the Elbasan
Municipality needs to show particular care. In
spite of positive results highlighted during the
study, one of the priorities of the local
government should be to avoid discriminating
phenomena toward minorities, particularly toward
the Roma minority and the Egyptian community.
Those surveyed recommend the undertaking of
measures such as: information, social measures,
or the drafting of specific legislation against
discrimination.
Surveyed citizens praise the
measures undertaken on the basis of the real
situation of minorities.
Citizens request that quick and
efficacious forms be found for exchanging
information between the Municipality and
communities in the Elbasan Municipality.
In order to improve local level
representation, the surveyed assess the need for
improving special employment and education
policies for minorities, establishing special
sectors for minority issues, establishing
advisory committees that include minority
members.
Positive measures are seen as a
need to enable minorities to enjoy satisfying
levels of economic, social, educational rights
and their real representation in local
government bodies. Reserved seats representation
in the Municipal Council is generally accepted
as another mechanism that could improve minority
representation.
Based on the mission of local
government bodies to ensure governance that is
as close as possible to citizens, it is
necessary that the Elbasan Municipality increase
contact with citizens.
The surveyed individuals
appreciate the print and broadcast media as an
important factor for social coexistence. In
their view, the media should be more attentive
toward violations of minority rights and in
increasing contact with minorities residing in
the Municipality of Elbasan. |
