SUBOTICA, Feb 29 (Hina) - Two political parties of the Croatian community in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina have merged to form a single political bloc.
SUBOTICA, Feb 29 (Hina) - Two political parties of the Croatian
community in the northern Serbian province of Vojvodina have merged to
form a single political bloc.#L#
The Democratic Alliance of Croats (DSHV) and the Croatian People's
Alliance signed a declaration on unification in Subotica on Sunday
forming the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina.
The two parties' leaders said the merger was necessary in order to
stop divisions within the Croatian community that resulted in the
creation of two opposed political blocs.
The declaration was the result of months of negotiations between the
two parties following last year's replacement of Bela Tonkovic as DSHV
leader, who had been seen as the main obstacle to integration.
The declaration was unanimously supported by all 299 delegates of the
two parties. They rejected a proposal that Tonkovic be readmitted as a
member after his expulsion from the party late last year.
The Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina is now the only
political organisation representing about 70,000 Croats in Vojvodina
and Serbia.
The signing ceremony was attended by Croatia's Agriculture Minister
Petar Cobankovic, Assistant Foreign Minister Svjetlan Berkovic and
member of Parliament Zdenka Babic Petricevic. They promised the Croats
of Vojvodina to represent their interests both in Croatia and through
talks with the government of Serbia and Montenegro.
(Hina) vm sb