Muslim party wants "province" in southwest

BELGRADE Bosniak Democratic Association of Sandzak leader and MP Emir Elfic says his party is advocating the autonomous province of Sandzak. He told Turkish Anadolu news agency that his party had unequivocally stated in its program that it would advocate the forming of the autonomous province of Sandzak in accordance with the Serbian Constitution. Muslim party wants "province" in southwest “As far as modality is concerned, we are ready to talk to official Belgrade because we believe that the decentralization is one of the most important issues that has not been implemented after October 5 (2000), not only when it comes to Sandzak and citizens of Sandzak,” Elfic said and added that ministers and other officials often mentioned equal regional development “even though we had an increase in the uneven regional development after these 13 years, which all parameters show”. According to him, in order for Serbia to develop in a transparent manner it should implement regionalization based on European standards. Therefore, some powers, as well as rights and obligations, would be transferred to regions. Elfic noted that the unemployment rate in Serbia was around 20 percent while it was 60 percent in Novi Pazar and Sandzak. Sandzak is the informal name for a region that spead in southwestern Serbia and northern Montenegro. It corresponds with the Raska District in Serbia. “The infrastructure in the country is bad but it is the worst in Sandzak. There are investments that are implemented on the state level and they change the economic and social image of citizens across Serbia, however, there are no key investments in Sandzak,” he stressed. According to him, a better regionalization instead of “quasi attempts” would secure the transparency necessary for Sandzak to develop fully. “The truth is that the pursuit of regionalization currently comes from Bosniaks but I am quite certain that the Serb community will at some point see their interest in it and give their full contribution. Because Sandzak has always been a multicultural, multiconfessional region that I see as such in the future as well,” Elfic concluded. A view of Novi Pazar (FoNet, file) Anadolu

Muslim party wants "province" in southwest

“As far as modality is concerned, we are ready to talk to official Belgrade because we believe that the decentralization is one of the most important issues that has not been implemented after October 5 (2000), not only when it comes to Sandžak and citizens of Sandžak,” Elfić said and added that ministers and other officials often mentioned equal regional development “even though we had an increase in the uneven regional development after these 13 years, which all parameters show”.

According to him, in order for Serbia to develop in a transparent manner it should implement regionalization based on European standards. Therefore, some powers, as well as rights and obligations, would be transferred to regions.

Elfić noted that the unemployment rate in Serbia was around 20 percent while it was 60 percent in Novi Pazar and Sandžak.

Sandžak is the informal name for a region that spead in southwestern Serbia and northern Montenegro. It corresponds with the Raška District in Serbia.

“The infrastructure in the country is bad but it is the worst in Sandžak. There are investments that are implemented on the state level and they change the economic and social image of citizens across Serbia, however, there are no key investments in Sandžak,” he stressed.

According to him, a better regionalization instead of “quasi attempts” would secure the transparency necessary for Sandžak to develop fully.

“The truth is that the pursuit of regionalization currently comes from Bosniaks but I am quite certain that the Serb community will at some point see their interest in it and give their full contribution. Because Sandžak has always been a multicultural, multiconfessional region that I see as such in the future as well,” Elfić concluded.