HR6411-119

What This Bill Does

The Preshevo Valley Discrimination Assessment Act requires the Secretary of State to report within 180 days to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Senate Foreign Relations Committee on the treatment of ethnic minorities in Serbia. The report must examine whether Serbian authorities deactivate registered residences of ethnic Albanians in the Preshevo Valley through address passivation, whether that blocks identity documents and voting, whether Serbia disregards proportional integration of ethnic Albanians in public institutions, whether Kosovo diplomas and degrees are refused, whether Albanian language use is restricted in public institutions and personal documents, whether Albanian-language textbooks are delayed, whether central grants to majority-Albanian municipalities are low relative to majority-Serb municipalities, whether ethnic symbols are suppressed, whether police threaten or intimidate local ethnic Albanians without due cause or process, how much support Serbia gives Albanian media and cultural activity, whether mandatory military service is being considered for ethnic Albanians, and whether Serbia takes measures to increase poverty or make life unsustainable for ethnic Albanians in the Preshevo Valley.

Who Benefits and How

Ethnic Albanians in the Preshevo Valley benefit because the bill directs U.S. diplomatic attention to residence deactivation, identity documents, voting, language rights, education, grants, policing, and cultural rights. Albanian-language students, media, and cultural organizations benefit if the report documents barriers and informs future pressure on Serbia. Congress benefits from a structured human-rights record for oversight of Serbia policy.

Who Bears the Burden and How

The State Department must collect evidence and report within 180 days. The Government of Serbia faces increased diplomatic scrutiny over minority treatment, public grants, police practices, document access, education, language use, and cultural rights. U.S.-Serbia diplomatic engagement may become more contentious if the report confirms discrimination.

Key Provisions

• Requires a State Department report to congressional foreign-affairs committees within 180 days.
• Examines address passivation and whether it blocks identity documents and voting for ethnic Albanians.
• Requires assessment of public-institution integration, Kosovo diploma recognition, Albanian language use, and Albanian-language textbooks.
• Examines central government grants, ethnic symbols, policing, media, cultural activities, possible military service, and poverty pressures.