Croats in Serbia lose ministerial seat

Croats in Serbia lose ministerial seat

Politics

The President of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina (DSHV), Tomislav Žigmanov, stated that his two ministerial terms were the greatest achievement in the political participation of the Croatian community in Serbia and that even after stepping down from the position, he would remain committed to strengthening their institutional presence, CE Report quotes HINA.

“Holding the ministerial post in the Government of the Republic of Serbia for two terms by the political leader of DSHV is probably the greatest achievement in the political participation of the Croatian community since the beginning of democratic changes in 1990,” Žigmanov said.

According to him, this opportunity was used to strongly deconstruct, in the broader Serbian public—not only politically—the image of Croats as disloyal citizens and of DSHV as a non-autonomous political entity that is merely an instrument of Zagreb.

He emphasized that he had carried out his long-standing political engagement and the knowledge and skills he had acquired in the best possible way, and in that context, he thanked Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić for the trust shown, which, he added, had not been betrayed.

“In this way, we have significantly eased the position of the Croatian community on the domestic political scene. The ministerial position led to reduced fear and increased courage and willingness for social activism among Croats,” Žigmanov said.

According to him, even during times when anti-Croatian rhetoric became more frequent in the public sphere, there were no serious anti-Croatian incidents or direct attacks on Croats, their institutions, organizations, or churches.

Žigmanov also stated that the end of his ministerial term would not mark the end of his fight for equality and true justice for Croats in the Republic of Serbia.

“There is still a lot of work to be done in this area, especially concerning the development of minority institutional infrastructure (e.g., Drama in Croatian, Croatian School Center...) and participation in decision-making processes at the local government level,” the DSHV leader said.

He added that these efforts would be more effective if institutions were strengthened and responsible policies developed—“policies that exclude adventurism”—and if a culture of consultation and agreed practices in political action continued to develop.

The candidate for the new Serbian government, Đuro Macut, submitted his cabinet proposal to the Serbian Parliament. Among the 30 proposed members of the future government, there are no longer any representatives of the Croatian community.

Žigmanov served from 2022 as Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue in Serbia’s government, across two terms.

Part of the party leadership criticized him for attending talks with Aleksandar Vučić regarding the new Serbian government—where he ultimately was not nominated—without consulting his closest associates in DSHV.

This prompted a request for an extraordinary session of the party council, and DSHV deputy leader Goran Kaurić earlier stated that the party should elect new leadership during this year’s internal elections.

Tags

Related articles

EU Enlargement Key to Europe's Security
EU enlargement is the best investment for a secure and prosperous Europe, Moldovan Prime Minister Dorin Recean stated at a joint press conference with Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas, who is visiting Moldova.
Mitsotakis Calls for Consensus on Constitutional Reform
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis met President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine Tasoulas on Friday to discuss the upcoming Constitutional Review. Highlighting the need for broad parliamentary consensus, Mitsotakis emphasized the importance of revising Article 103, which guarantees the permanency of public sector employees.
Romania Backs Moldova’s EU Bid
Romania's Foreign Minister Emil Hurezeanu met with Moldova’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mihai Popșoi in Bucharest on Friday during Popșoi’s visit for regional conferences, the Romanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAE) reported.
Androulakis: Gaza Is Ethnic Cleansing
PASOK-KINAL leader Nikos Androulakis strongly criticized the Greek government's delayed response to the crisis in Gaza, calling the situation "ethnic cleansing, not lawful defense," in an interview with Mega TV on Thursday.
Lithuanian PM Visits Moldova
The Moldovan Government has announced an official visit by Lithuanian Prime Minister Gintautas Paluckas to Chișinău, highlighting the strong political dialogue between the two countries.
Greece Leads on AI Rules for Journalists
In an interview with Euronews, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister and Government Spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis highlighted Greece’s pioneering role in regulating AI use in journalism.
Poland Confronts Shadow Fleet
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk has revealed that a Russian "shadow fleet" vessel was caught conducting suspicious activity near an undersea power cable between Poland and Sweden.
Moldova Reaffirms Support for Ukraine
Moldovan President Maia Sandu spoke by phone today with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, reaffirming the strong friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
Dan to Start Coalition Talks Monday
President-elect Nicușor Dan announced on Thursday that he will start preliminary discussions with political parties on forming the new government, outlining its program, and addressing the budget deficit immediately after taking office.