Vojvodina joins Kosovo pleading for independence
17:26 2005-12-15
Leaders of three ethnic Hungarian parties in Serbia's northern
Vojvodina province have stepped up a drive for the autonomy of some
340.000 of their co-nationals living in Serbia.
In an open letter to Serbian president Boris Tadic and prime minister
Vojislav Kostunica, the leaders said talks on the status of ethnic
Hungarians should be held in parallel with the negotiations on the
final status of Kosovo province, where majority Albanians demand
independence.
The letter, was signed by the leader of the Democratic Party of
Vojvodina Hungarians, Andras Agoston; Sandor Pal, president of the
Democratic Community of Vojvodina Hungarians and by Laslo Rac Szabo,
president of the Hungarians' Civic Alliance.
The leader of the fourth ethnic Hungarian party, the Alliance of
Vojvodina Hungarians, Josef Kasa, has carried the issue of all the way
to the European parliament, which recently passed a resolution
expressing concern at "alarming and constant violations of ethnic and
minority rights in Vojvodina province".
The ethnic Hungarian leaders emphasized that "fundamental debate on
possible forms of autonomy for all minorities in Serbia could only
contribute to the general atmosphere of the talks". The talks on the
final status of Kosovo, headed by a special United Nations
representative Martti Ahtisaari, are expected to start in January, AKI
reports.
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