“Declaration on Vojvodina aimed at raising tensions”

BELGRADE The declaration on protection of Vojvodina’s constitutional and legal rights was unnecessary and it will only raise tensions, the ruling coalition believes. Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) MP Milovan Drecun said that he could not perceive that any kind of declaration could defend constitutional rights of Vojvodina, as it was claimed by the provincial authorities. “Declaration on Vojvodina aimed at raising tensions” “If someone wants to create an attacking space for political actions and hide some things that are, in most cases, reduced to organized crime and corruption, and then wants to keep Serbia as a hostage of that someone’s political survival, he would probably continue to follow that way”, Drecun said. He alluded to Vojvodina Prime Minister and deputy leader of Democratic Party (DS) Bojan Pajtic. Certain media claimed he was involved in embezzlements in Vojvodina Development Bank. The declaration was enacted by Vojvodina assembly by majority of votes, and the document also stated, among other things, that constitutional principles were breached and legal regulations referring to the rights and authorities of the institutions in Vojvodina. The document was mostly a product of struggle between the authorities in Vojvodina and Serbian Government, since these two institutions consisted of different parties. While the Serbian government consists of the SNS, the main partner in Vojvodina is the DS together with the parties that are opposition in the state parliament. The SNS, Socialist party of Serbia (SPS) and some opposition parties, such as the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), assessed the declaration as an introduction into separatism and attempt of the authorities led by Pajtic to cause tensions in the country. Besides SNS, United Regions of Serbia (URS) also stated that the declaration was unnecessary and its only goal was to raise tensions, since it would have no other implication. URS MP Ana Novkovic said that Vojvodina did not need new tensions but the new policy that would stop its decline. Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS) shared their opinion and stated that it was not necessary to enact the declaration because the problems should be solved and not pushed under the rug, news agencies reported on Tuesday. On the other side, League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV), which was a part of the government in the province, stated that the declaration was necessary because this or the previous governments did not honor Vojvodina’s position and its autonomy. LSV whip Bojan Kostres rejected the claims that the declaration had separatist features. “Vojvodina has its rights and these rights need to be protected. Opposition, of course, wants to cause extraordinary elections in Vojvodina and speaks about separatism and this declaration has nothing to do with separatism”, Kostres emphasized. The declaration, among other things, called the institutions on the state level to “together with province administration and representatives of local self-government, with strengthening the cooperation, improve the level of honoring of the prescribed procedures, as well as undisputed rights and obligations”. The document stated that Vojvodina’s autonomy was a historical and natural right of its citizens, since it was formed and confirmed by the will of its peoples at the Assembly of Envoys of Vojvodina Peoples in Novi Sad in July 1945, when they unanimously decided that Vojvodina should join Serbia. VIP

“Declaration on Vojvodina aimed at raising tensions”

“If someone wants to create an attacking space for political actions and hide some things that are, in most cases, reduced to organized crime and corruption, and then wants to keep Serbia as a hostage of that someone’s political survival, he would probably continue to follow that way”, Drecun said.

He alluded to Vojvodina Prime Minister and deputy leader of Democratic Party (DS) Bojan Pajtić. Certain media claimed he was involved in embezzlements in Vojvodina Development Bank.

The declaration was enacted by Vojvodina assembly by majority of votes, and the document also stated, among other things, that constitutional principles were breached and legal regulations referring to the rights and authorities of the institutions in Vojvodina.

The document was mostly a product of struggle between the authorities in Vojvodina and Serbian Government, since these two institutions consisted of different parties. While the Serbian government consists of the SNS, the main partner in Vojvodina is the DS together with the parties that are opposition in the state parliament.

The SNS, Socialist party of Serbia (SPS) and some opposition parties, such as the Democratic Party of Serbia (DSS), assessed the declaration as an introduction into separatism and attempt of the authorities led by Pajtić to cause tensions in the country.

Besides SNS, United Regions of Serbia (URS) also stated that the declaration was unnecessary and its only goal was to raise tensions, since it would have no other implication.

URS MP Ana Novković said that Vojvodina did not need new tensions but the new policy that would stop its decline.

Party of United Pensioners of Serbia (PUPS) shared their opinion and stated that it was not necessary to enact the declaration because the problems should be solved and not pushed under the rug, news agencies reported on Tuesday.

On the other side, League of Social Democrats of Vojvodina (LSV), which was a part of the government in the province, stated that the declaration was necessary because this or the previous governments did not honor Vojvodina’s position and its autonomy.

LSV whip Bojan Kostreš rejected the claims that the declaration had separatist features.

“Vojvodina has its rights and these rights need to be protected. Opposition, of course, wants to cause extraordinary elections in Vojvodina and speaks about separatism and this declaration has nothing to do with separatism”, Kostreš emphasized.

The declaration, among other things, called the institutions on the state level to “together with province administration and representatives of local self-government, with strengthening the cooperation, improve the level of honoring of the prescribed

procedures, as well as undisputed rights and obligations”.

The document stated that Vojvodina’s autonomy was a historical and natural right of its citizens, since it was formed and confirmed by the will of its peoples at the Assembly of Envoys of Vojvodina Peoples in Novi Sad in July 1945, when they unanimously decided that Vojvodina should join Serbia.