Amendments to the Local Election Law enacted in 2003[30] gave national minorities in areas where they are concentrated the right under certain circumstances to seek the formation of National Minority Councils in units of local self government. The members of such councils are elected in special candidate elections open to minority voters.[31] (In other qualified areas, in which such councils have not been established, special representation may be provided for minorities by granting mandates in the local assembly to those minority candidates who obtain the most votes in the regular elections).[32]
