Hungary will not let any institution in Brussels or any EU Member State block Serbia’s European integration. Belgrade deserves EU membership, and the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians, which forms part of the Serbian government coalition, too, plays a significant role in this, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Péter Szijjártó stressed on Tuesday in Szabadka after he had a meeting with István Pásztor, President of the Alliance.
Mr Szijjártó highlighted that relations between Hungary and Serbia are at an historic peak. As he said: it is easy to state this, „but it was extremely difficult to get here, and we could most certainly not make this claim without the contributions of the Serbian Government, the Hungarian Government and the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians”. „We do appreciate the efforts of the Serbian Government, but we appreciate in particular the role of the Alliance in the government coalition”, he added.
Early parliamentary elections will be held in Serbia on 24 April, and provincial parliamentary and local elections will also be held in Vojvodina. In this context, the Foreign Minister stressed that at this point in time, the closest link between Hungary and Serbia is the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians. He added: it is in the best interests of both countries that the representation of the Hungarians in Vojvodina should remain extremely strong both nationally and provincially.
„Both Hungary and Serbia have a vested interest in the Hungarian community in Vojvodina being strong and having a united representation”, Mr Szijjártó stressed. He added that Hungary welcomes the tri-party cooperation which emerged under the auspices of the Alliance, and that as a result the Alliance runs in the elections as the only Hungarian alternative.
The Foreign Minister also pointed out that the strategic alliance of the Hungarian Government and the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians made possible the economic and regional development programme in which a second round of calls for proposals has already been invited. This programme is good for the Hungarian community in Vojvodina, and is also good for Serbia as the projects are being implemented in the territory of Serbia, he stressed. He said: it is a most joyful development that the Hungarian-Serbian inter-governmental minority mixed committee met again after five years, and it is likewise promising that an agreement has been reached with the Serbian Government on increasing the number of border crossing points between the two countries.
István Pásztor, President of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians said that in this fast changing and unpredictable world, the stable, friendly and cooperating relationship that exists between Serbia and Hungary is particularly important for the Hungarians living in Vojvodina, but it is equally important for all the citizens of Serbia as well. He expressed his gratitude for the fact that the Hungarian Government is supporting the Alliance’s economic and regional development programme which primarily represents the interests of the members of the Hungarian community in Vojvodina, but which may additionally also contribute to the economic advancement of the whole of the country and the enhancement of its overall performance. „The assistance which the Hungarian Government has provided for the Vojvodina Hungarians is unique not only in the region, but also in Europe”, he underlined.
Regarding the elections, he highlighted that the goal of the Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians is to retain its political strength as a strong interest representation is an elementary interest of the Hungarian community in Vojvodina.
The Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians has 5 representatives in the Parliament in Belgrade at present where the Alliance is a coalition partner of the largest Serbian party, the Serbian Progressive Party. Seven individuals represent the largest Hungarian party in Vojvodina in the provincial legislature where its partner is, however, the largest Serbian opposition party, the Democratic Party.
(MTI)
