Experiences of developed European countries in solving issues related to national minorities

Contemporary geopolitical change, inter-ethnic conflicts and clashes, the connection between minority and territorial problems, considerably influence the quality of inter-state relations and preservation of global peace and security. National problems and ethnic confrontations have found particularly fertile soil in the Balkans, although they are known in democratic West European countries as well, despite high human rights standards. However, even though such problems deserve special attention due to their seriousness, they remain exclusively in the jurisdiction of the respective states, as opposed to the countries in transition that are in the focus of interest and intervention of the international community. In developed countries, the method of regulating the minority question greatly depends on the position of the given country on the world economic and political scene, as well as on numerous historical and political factors. In each of these countries there are specific models of coexistence of majority and minority nations, therefore there can be no universal model that would be valid for all countries. Respecting basic human rights and liberties, as well as national minority protection, are among the basic factors of stability, security and democratic and socio-economic development of every country