"We want the same kind of representation that national minorities have in the Croatian parliament. We are entitled to this also on the basis of the agreement on the protection of national minorities signed by Serbia and Montenegro and Croatia," Petar Kuntic, president of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina (DSHV), said speaking of the party's political plans.
Among the priorities, Kuntic mentioned opposition to the division of Croats in the Backa region into Bunjevci and Croats, which he said was most glaringly being done through the introduction of the so-called Bunjevacki language in elementary schools.
"One of our most important tasks is also the integration of Croats into Serbia's political and economic systems by securing relative representation of this community in state services and leading positions in public companies."
Kuntic said the DSHV was "very displeased with the slowness of competent bodies in Croatia in processing citizenship applications from Croats residing in Serbia and Montenegro".
As the only Croat minority parliamentary party in Serbia, the DSHV has representatives in the parliament of the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina and in city parliaments in Subotica, Sombor and Apatin.
The party was established in Subotica, where it is based, on 15 July 1990.