CRCD: Mircic Statements Invoke the Phantom of Interethnic Conflict

CRNPS

20 March 2008

The Centre for Development of Civic Society (CDCS) is concerned over the statements by Milorad Mirčić, official of the Serb Radical Party, about the possibility of unrest erupting in the parts of Vojvodina with sizable Hungarian population once Hungary recognizes the `independence` of Kosovo.

- Such statements are very dangerous and they invoke the phantom of interethnic conflict. Vojvodina`s hungarians are citizens of Serbia, not Hungary, and they share the fate of the other citizens of the country, as they did back in the days of the UN embargo and the NATO bombing campaign, says CDCS.

According to the CDCS, Mirčić`s statement indicates that he separates the northern parts of Vojvodina from Serbia on basis of the ethnic composition of the population and, with ethnic logic in mind, he fails to see there any state policies there, completely disregarding the constitutional and institutions framework of the Republic of Serbia.

CRCD supports the request by the Union of Vojvodina Hungarians for the Security Committee of the Provincial Assembly to immediately convene to discuss those statements, and asked from the proper authorities and security services to investigate Mirčić`s claim that he got his information from sources in the intelligence services.

- Nobody has the right to make arbitrary statements about ethnic relations or civic peace in Serbia or, for that matter, Vojvodina, concludes the Centre for Development of Civil Society.