"Vojvodina statute hard to reject"

The ruling Democratic Party (DS) in Vojvodina chief Dusan Elezovic says it will be hard for MPs to reject the Vojvodina statute "without good reason". "The fact is that with the opposition is making a fuss about the statute, they are trying to gather voters again that turned their backs on them in the last elections," he told Belgrade daily Vecernje Novosti. "Vojvodina statute hard to reject" This official added that drafts of the statute and a law on transfer of jurisdiction are documents that the president, prime minister and Vojvodina executive council leaders "guarantee do not contain any anti-constitutional elements". Elezovic told the daily that he does not understand why the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) is stating that it won’t vote for a “state within a state” when they voted for the statute in the Vojvodina parliament. “How can the law on the transfer of jurisdiction get out of control when their minister Zarko Obradovic is sitting in the three-member commission for shaping the law? It doesn't make sense to me,” he was quoted as saying. Elezovic denied that there are problems in relations between DS officials from Belgrade and those Vojvodina. “Communication with DS senior officials, including President Tadic, is excellent, as well as with all of the DS ministries in the Serbian government,” Elezovic said. Asked about Vojvodina Hungarian Alliance (SVM) leader Istvan Pastor’s statements that his party may have to reconsider its support for the ruling coalition, Elezovic said that he does not believe that relations between DS and SVM will be brought into question. “We have been in coalition with them in several Vojvodina municipalities for 13 years already. Sometimes there are disagreement, but we always overcome them,” Elezovic said. He added that the demand of the Hungarian Coalition to introduce a "civil multi-ethnic guard" in the northern town of Subotica was "not based in reality", and that it is an effort to "create drama at all costs". "The fact that some ethnic parties are doing everything in order to use the so-called ethnic card and try to create fear with their people is an effort to get voters back, who left them in the last elections and voted for DS and our pro-European option," Elezovic concluded.

"Vojvodina statute hard to reject"

This official added that drafts of the statute and a law on transfer of jurisdiction are documents that the president, prime minister and Vojvodina executive council leaders "guarantee do not contain any anti-constitutional elements".

Elezović told the daily that he does not understand why the ruling Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) is stating that it won’t vote for a “state within a state” when they voted for the statute in the Vojvodina parliament.

“How can the law on the transfer of jurisdiction get out of control when their minister Žarko Obradović is sitting in the three-member commission for shaping the law? It doesn't make sense to me,” he was quoted as saying.

Elezović denied that there are problems in relations between DS officials from Belgrade and those Vojvodina.

“Communication with DS senior officials, including President Tadić, is excellent, as well as with all of the DS ministries in the Serbian government,” Elezović said.

Asked about Vojvodina Hungarian Alliance (SVM) leader Ištvan Pastor’s statements that his party may have to reconsider its support for the ruling coalition, Elezović said that he does not believe that relations between DS and SVM will be brought into question.

“We have been in coalition with them in several Vojvodina municipalities for 13 years already. Sometimes there are disagreement, but we always overcome them,” Elezović said.

He added that the demand of the Hungarian Coalition to introduce a "civil multi-ethnic guard" in the northern town of Subotica was "not based in reality", and that it is an effort to "create drama at all costs".

"The fact that some ethnic parties are doing everything in order to use the so-called ethnic card and try to create fear with their people is an effort to get voters back, who left them in the last elections and voted for DS and our pro-European option," Elezović concluded.