RADIO FREE EUROPE Ptsearch RAD Background Report/209 (Yugoslavia) 30 December 1983 VOJVODINA: A "PARADISE" FOR NATIONAL MINORITIES?” by Slobodan Stankovic Summary: The Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, ch is part of the Socialist Republic of Serbia, is populated by more than 1,000,000 Serbs, 385,000 Hungarians, 109,000 Croate, and a great many other national minorities Yugoslav authorities regard Vojvodina as a “pat: dise" for national minorities, though thie is not entirely true. Compared with the national minor- ities living in other East European countries, however, those in Yugoslavia have been treated favorably. Along with Serbo-Croat, Hungarian is alec classified as an official language, as are Slovak, Romanian, and Ruthenian. Vojvodina is one of Yugoslavia's two autonomous provinces, the other being Kosovo. Both provinces are components of the Soctalist Republic of Serbia. Unlike Kosovo, in which Albanians make up over 774 cf the population (Serbs, 13.2%, Gypsies, 22.2%, and Montenegrins, 1.7%), in Vojvodina the Serbs account for 54.4% of the province's population of 2,034,772. (according to the 31 March 1981 census). They are followed by 385,356 Hungarians (or 18.9%), 108,203 Croate (5.41), 69,549 Slovaks (3.48), and 47,289 Romanians (2.3%).+ A xecent report published in a Belgrade daily commended the peaceful ceexistence and understanding among the more than 20 na— tionalities in Vojvedina. Of 2,034,772 inhabitants in the provinces, more than’ 1,500,000 are said to speak Serbo-Croat. The *This paper was first lesued on 16 December 1983. {7A ri ss pes l'eau LiterPaper said that almost 376,000 Hungarians used the Hungarian lan- Quage in their homes; 64,000 spoke Slovak; 45,000, Romanian: almost 16,000, Ruthenian; and 14,000, the Romany (Gypsy) lan- guage. All languages equal, but in elementary schools, de- pending on the numerical strength of individual nationalities, all lessons are given in Sorbo-Croat, Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, and Ruthenian. There is also equality of languages at- the University of Novi Sad.2 ‘The paper, however, did not mention, for instance, the eon flict between various Hungarian intellectuals and the author i- ties. notably the problem of the Novi Sad Hungarian-language youth magazine Uj Symposion. —_In May the entire editorial board of the magazine waa relieved of ite duties for “ideological-po- litical deviations.* Last June a Belgrade daily complained that Wery many "irredentist incidents" had taken place in the town of Subotica on the Hungarian-Yugoelav border, mainly involving citi- zene of Hungary who were visiting the town.? — Tt seems, therefore, that the idyllic picture presented Sorka does not entirely correspond with the facte, although it is fair to say that the problem of national minorities has been more favorably handled in Yugowlavia than in other East European countries. During the March 1981 census 167,215 citizens in Vojvodina registered as Yugoslavs, choosing not to be described as Serbs, Croats, Hungarians, or Romanians. It has now been established that 90.68 (or 151,497) of these ‘“yugoslave" were Serbs. Since the number of Hungarians registered dropped from 423,865 in March 1871 to 385,356 in March 1961, it was earlier believed that most of the 36,510 "missing" Hungarians had registered as “Yugoslave," but this theory has now been abandoned. Radio and television programe in Yugoslavia are broadcast in five languages: Serbo-Croat, Hungarian, Slovak, Romanian, and Ruthenian. The periodicals Komunist za Vojvedinu {Communint for WW Vojvodina}, Misao [Thought], Javnoat [The Public], and Delagatski Vjeanik [Delegates' Herald] are also published in all five lan- Quagea. In addition, each nationality has ita own dailies, week- lies, fortnightiies, and monthlies. Thin is especially true for the Hungarians. Conflict Between Novi Sad and Belgrade A Belgrade tabloid recently reported that a “minor conflict* existed between Novi Sad, the capital of Vojvodina, and delgradi the seat of the government of Serbia. The leaders of Vojvodin Fegrdlese of which nationality they belong to, have been at odda with the government of Serbia over the rights and duties of the government of the province. Article 300 of Serbia's Constitution Xegulates the relations between the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina (and that of Kosovo) and the central government of the Socialist Republic of Serbia.a RAD BR/289 According to the report, the number of questions over which Movi Sad and Belgrade had crossed swords was “not instgnificant.* The leaders of Vojvodina and Serbia obviously disagree over certain economic problems, especially over the autonomy the province's leaders claim for themselves. There ts also same Misunderstanding over the defense of Serbia in general and of Vojvodina in particular. The State Presidency of the SR of Serbia (including also members from Vojvodina and Kosovo) inaiats that it alone ie authorized, but “in cooperation with the Presidency of the Province," to make decisions about the defense of province. The Vojvodina leadere disagree and claim that the republic as a whole is only authorized to pass laws “reguiat- ing a united basis for defense plans but not the defence plane of the republic as such.* In other words, the province's leaders Should implement such laws. The leadership in Vojvodina is also opposed to the State Fresidency of Serbia being “authorized to "prescribe measures" to be taken in the province, because it is the province's agencies that are responsible for the implementation of the Jawa on their territory. As can be seen, the “central government" of Serbia has dift— ficulties not only with the Albanians in Kosovo but also with the Serbs, Hungarians, Slovaks, Romanians, Ruthenians, and all the other nationalities in Vojvodina. These difficulties cannat, of course, be regarded as being as serious as the ones in Kosovo, but they clearly indicate that numerous national minorities in Vojvodina are eager to defend their rights without endangering the unity of Yugoslavia as a whole. 3 Vupoatovenaxt Pragtec (Belgrade), no. 3; March 1983, p. 104. 2 Borba (Melgrade}, 12 December 1503. 3 Yecernje Novostt (Belgrade), 23 June 1985. # [btd, 23 December 2983, a