Vojvodina Hungarians still seeking autonomy

Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians (SVM) leader Istvan Pastor says that Hungarian parties in Serbia will continue to seek autonomy in Vojvodina. “Talk of territorial autonomy after the elections is as realistic a topic as it was before the elections, but it is an issue that has to some extent been satanized,” Pastor told internet magazine Vojvodina. Vojvodina Hungarians still seeking autonomy He rejected accusations of being an “ultra-right winger” as some media have labeled him because of his stance on territorial autonomy. The SVM leader said that the issue of territorial autonomy for Hungarians was part of a broader picture, where this region would just be one of the regions of Serbia. “It would be a multi-ethnic region, not a Hungarian region. Serbs and Croats live here, we all live here. This territorially autonomous region would have the same status as all other regions in Serbia, the only difference would be the territory itself,” Pastor insisted. He said that he did not currently see the political will in Serbia for creating territorial autonomy, nor for Vojvodina’s full autonomy. Istvan Pastor (FoNet, archive)

Vojvodina Hungarians still seeking autonomy

He rejected accusations of being an “ultra-right winger” as some media have labeled him because of his stance on territorial autonomy.

The SVM leader said that the issue of territorial autonomy for Hungarians was part of a broader picture, where this region would just be one of the regions of Serbia.

“It would be a multi-ethnic region, not a Hungarian region. Serbs and Croats live here, we all live here. This territorially autonomous region would have the same status as all other regions in Serbia, the only difference would be the territory itself,” Pastor insisted.

He said that he did not currently see the political will in Serbia for creating territorial autonomy, nor for Vojvodina’s full autonomy.