Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians: Migrant Situation in Border Area with Hungary Is Unbearable

Istvan Pastor (Photo: Milos Miskov)

Alliance of Vojvodina Hungarians leader Istvan Pastor on Sept. 5 said that the migrant situation in the border area with Hungary in Vojvodina was unbearable, stressing that the priority should be protection of Serbia’s nationals and that it was necessary to establish order and stop and prevent illegal migration.

“There is no justification for the state to lose jurisdiction over a part of its territory, which is happening now,” Pastor told TV stations Panon RTV, recalling that last week, President Aleksandar Vucic had said that “Serbia should review its migrant policy.” Pastor also said that the funds available for stopping migration should be used more efficiently.

Commenting on the destruction of a street sign with the name of town Subotica written in the Hungarian language, Pastor said that it was not only a criminal offense, but also “a political message of the few people who are not happy with mutual understanding, respect and partnership between Serbia and Hungary, but their interest is to incite conflicts.”

According to Pastor, behind this incident were those who have a different opinion of politics and relations with the Hungarian bodies than him, President Vucic and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Pastor also said that some opposition parties and portals had suggested that the perpetrators could only be the Serbs, but that he was not convinced.

Pastor also said that the Democratic Fellowship of Vojvodina Hungarians had been for more than a decade an arm of the opposition liberals Belgrade and Novi Sad, while the Jobbik party in Hungary had become a liberal right-wing party financed by dollars, so that was why he could not rule out political motives behind the destruction of the street sign.