Vojvodina statute promotes “development not separatism”

Vojvodina ruling parties believe that the province’s new statute will serve as its “economic motor”. By October 15, the autonomous province of Vojvodina should have a new statute, which will define the authorities of the provincial government. Vojvodina statute promotes “development not separatism” Vojvodina ruling coalition officials told B92 that the document would serve as an economic motor for Vojvodina and all of Serbia, stressing that it did not promote separatism. Once the ruling coalition, headed by the Democratic Party (DS), agrees on the final draft of the document in late September, it will be presented in public and enter parliamentary procedure. According to the new statute, Vojvodina will maintain ownership of provincial property, financial security and receive new powers for its institutions. “It must encompass all development mechanisms such as the development bank and other institutions. The goal is new improvements to infrastructure, the creation of new jobs. The statute must promote development in our province,” said President of the Vojvodina Executive Committee Bojan Pajtic. The ruling coalition also states that the statute is in accordance with the Serbian Constitution. The opposition has criticized the draft statute as promoting separatism. Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) official Dusan Bajatovic said that the criticism was directed against the development of Vojvodina and the entire country. He accused the Serb Radical Party (SRS) of not offering any alternative to European development. “If someone’s ascent to power means the promotion of primitivism, hooliganism and poverty, misery, and that’s supposed to be the new Serbian political elite—where will it lead Serbia? If we do not want to go to Europe, what is the alternative? You can’t even find that alternative in a cartoon,” Bajatovic said. All regions of all EU member-states are entitled to receive large EU development funds. The ruling coalition believes that the new statute will help Vojvodina in this regard, adding that other parts of Serbia should have the same opportunities. “Why should Vojvodina be better than the Morava region with its headquarters in Nis, or Sumadija, or any other part of Serbia? This statute has to help the new regions that will emerge in Serbia sooner or later to follow our lead. Because what we want for Vojvodina, we want for other regions of Serbia as well,” said Vice-President of the Vojvodina League of Social Democrats Bojan Kostres. Bojan Pajtic (B92 archive)

Vojvodina statute promotes “development not separatism”

Vojvodina ruling coalition officials told B92 that the document would serve as an economic motor for Vojvodina and all of Serbia, stressing that it did not promote separatism.

Once the ruling coalition, headed by the Democratic Party (DS), agrees on the final draft of the document in late September, it will be presented in public and enter parliamentary procedure.

According to the new statute, Vojvodina will maintain ownership of provincial property, financial security and receive new powers for its institutions.

“It must encompass all development mechanisms such as the development bank and other institutions. The goal is new improvements to infrastructure, the creation of new jobs. The statute must promote development in our province,” said President of the Vojvodina Executive Committee Bojan Pajtić.

The ruling coalition also states that the statute is in accordance with the Serbian Constitution. The opposition has criticized the draft statute as promoting separatism.

Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) official Dušan Bajatović said that the criticism was directed against the development of Vojvodina and the entire country. He accused the Serb Radical Party (SRS) of not offering any alternative to European development.

“If someone’s ascent to power means the promotion of primitivism, hooliganism and poverty, misery, and that’s supposed to be the new Serbian political elite—where will it lead Serbia? If we do not want to go to Europe, what is the alternative? You can’t even find that alternative in a cartoon,” Bajatović said.

All regions of all EU member-states are entitled to receive large EU development funds. The ruling coalition believes that the new statute will help Vojvodina in this regard, adding that other parts of Serbia should have the same opportunities.

“Why should Vojvodina be better than the Morava region with its headquarters in Niš, or Šumadija, or any other part of Serbia? This statute has to help the new regions that will emerge in Serbia sooner or later to follow our lead. Because what we want for Vojvodina, we want for other regions of Serbia as well,” said Vice-President of the Vojvodina League of Social Democrats Bojan Kostreš.