Austrian OSCE Chairmanship representative, Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Linhart, visits OSCE Mission to Serbia

Austrian Deputy Foreign Minister Michael Linhart visited the OSCE Mission to Serbia today and was briefed by the Head of Mission, Andrea Orizio, and his staff on their ongoing work.

“Serbia is a key actor for regional stability in South-Eastern Europe. Recent events in the region highlight that the rule of law, democratic and accountable institutions and media freedom are all indispensable to ensure stability,” said Linhart. “One main vehicle to achieve these goals is the OSCE field operations. The host country and the OSCE Mission to Serbia enjoy excellent co-operation, which we hope will continue to be mutually beneficial and fruitful in the future, to allow Serbia to benefit from OSCE expertise and assistance” he added. He stressed the need to maintain momentum in implementing reforms and promoting reconciliation and dialogue.

Following a briefing on the Mission´s activities with youth, Linhart also underlined that empowering young people from the region and creating opportunities for them to connect and get to know each other is essential for regional reconciliation.

The Deputy Minister will participate tomorrow in an open day event for prospective students at the multilingual Bujanovac Department of the Subotica Faculty of Economics of the University of Novi Sad. This is a project supported by the OSCE Mission to Serbia and based on an initiative of the High Commissioner on National Minorities.

“The establishment of this multilingual department is a true achievement in promoting education for all. The Austrian Chairmanship fully supports this activity by the OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities and the OSCE Mission to Serbia, which aims at inclusiveness and at providing youth with prospects for the future,” concluded Linhart.

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