The support of local authorities contributes to the exercise of minorities' rights, but this support is not provided to minority members in some local bodies, participants concluded, adding that such difficulties should be eliminated.
The Council for National Minorities should help strengthen the role of councils and representatives of national minorities in decision-making through education and supervision of their working conditions on the local level, it was said.
Participants emphasised that the exercise of minorities' rights does not depend only on the state's political will but also on minorities' readiness to cooperate. Minority representatives were urged to cooperate better in the realisation of programmes of common interest.
Participants commended the implementation of the law on education in the language and script of national minorities, and supported the government's efforts in connection with and the realisation of the national programme for Roma and the 2005-15 action plan for Roma.
Participants concluded there were problems in some local government units in the application of the law on the official use of the language and script of national minorities, and suggested educating staff in state administration, local self-government, the judiciary and minority associations about the rights stemming from said law.
It was requested that all relevant bodies take supervision measures in line with the constitutional law on national minorities' rights so that national and international regulations on the protection of minority languages could be consistently applied.
Participants also concluded that some media did not dedicate sufficient attention to the real problems of minorities or cover them objectively. They emphasised the need to create conditions for the full exercise of minorities' rights to media access and information in their language and alphabet.