The Assembly of Vojvodina got a new president, the formation of the Government immediately after the holidays: Balint Juhas, the first man of the provincial parliament – Politics

The new President of the Assembly of Vojvodina announced the formation of the Provincial Government within the deadline, most likely after the holidays, that is, by May 9.

Three deputies from the ranks of the Serbian Progressive Party – Damir Zobenica, Aleksandar Maletić and Nemanja Zavišić – were elected vice-presidents, and the fourth was Boris Novaković from the Socialist Party of Serbia. Aleksandra Stojković was elected Secretary General of the Assembly of Vojvodina. The session is chaired by the oldest MP, Miroslav Španović from PUPS.

The opposition did not want to propose the position of vice-president of the Assembly, which is a common practice because, as they say, they will not legitimize the work of the Assembly in such a way.

– We expressly refuse to provide support and feign democracy and parliamentaryness in the work of this Assembly in this way – said Radivoje Jovović, MP from the Zajedno party, before the beginning of the session.

Jovović also pointed out that it took more than 70 days to resume the constitutive session, which was officially on break.

– We had consultations for which we were not provided with an agenda, we were told from today for tomorrow. This will absolutely not be possible. This is beyond all procedures and we will fight against all that in this convocation – added Jovović.

Balint Juhas said that he was honored by the election, especially since he is the successor of Istvan Pastor, who left an “indelible mark in political activity” and who held that office from 2012 until his death last fall.

– Our task is to establish new standards of decency in political activity. To bring political culture within the framework of the constitution, laws and statutes, and to promote values ​​for future generations – said Juhas.

However, he feels dissatisfied that the tradition was broken that each group to which the position of vice president belongs according to the mathematical principle did not propose candidates.

– It slightly destroys the reputation of this house, which we should protect together, but the political decision should be respected and everyone bears responsibility for their decisions – he added.

Juhas assesses that the two-month break in the holding of the constituent session was in accordance with the rules of procedure, as well as that the representatives of the opposition parliamentary groups were also informed about the date, time and topics.

Damir Zobenica, in introducing the new president of the Assembly of Vojvodina, first referred to Istvan Pastor and pointed out that it was an honor to work with him for two mandates.

– I am proud of the continuation of the tradition that this Assembly started in 2004 that the representative of the party of the largest minority community, namely the Hungarians, should be the president and that we are not guided by political mathematics when we elect him. Pastor’s wisdom and cooperation with all parliamentary groups raised the dignity and political work of this parliament to the highest level, and I believe that Juhas will continue on exactly the same path – said Zobenica.

Miroslav Ilić from the parliamentary group “Democratic Party – Together – Movement of Free Citizens” pointed out that any Hungarian in Vojvodina could have been president of the Council except for Balint Juhas, the long-time head of the office of the Prosperity Foundation in Serbia, the son of Hungarian President Vikor Orban.

– The proposal of Balint Juhas, practically a civil servant of the Hungarian government and the notorious Orban’s Prosperitati foundation, which has poured 300 million euros here since 2016, and its result is 70,000 Hungarians less in Vojvodina, is counterproductive. And he, as the most important person of that Foundation, was responsible for establishing inequality between citizens of other ethnic communities and the Hungarian community, and not only that, but he also divided Hungarians into those who are members of the SVM and those who are not – said Ilić.

Juhas, as Ilić adds, belongs to Orban’s government, which today is studied in Europe as “Orban’s financial nationalism”, and it is no coincidence that “Orban came to Vojvodina and carried the flag of Greater Hungary”.

– If we agree to Juhas, we will agree to the policy of breaking up Vojvodina – Ilić concluded.

Let us remind you that the constitutive session began on February 9, and the continuation was waited for more than two months.

Balint Juhas was born in 1982 in Subotica. He completed primary school in Mali Iđoš, and secondary school, as well as studies at the Faculty of Economics in Subotica, where he then obtained a master’s degree. He has been actively participating in the work of SVM since 2006, as well as in the political and public life of Mali Iđoš. Since November 2012, he has been the deputy secretary of the Provincial Secretariat for Economy, Employment and Gender Equality.

Nine parliamentary clubs in the new convocation

From a total of 20 parties and movements that entered this convocation, nine parliamentary clubs were formed: “Aleksandar Vučić – Vojvodina must not stop”, “Union of Vojvodina Hungarians – for our president, for our community, for the future”, “Forward Vojvodina “, “Party of Freedom and Justice”, “Serbia Center (SRCE) – Green-Left Front (ZLF) – Movement for Reversal (PZP)”, “Socialist Party of Serbia (SPS) – United Serbia (JS)”, “People’s Movement of Serbia – Ecological Uprising”, “Democratic Party – Together – Movement of Free Citizens” and “New DSS – POKS (NADA)”.

The strongest parliamentary group in the new convocation of the Vojvodina Parliament is the SNS with 62 members, which is four fewer than in the previous mandate.

The progressives won more mandates, but the members of their list created another five-member parliamentary group “Napred Vojvodina” consisting of members of PUPS, SDP and the Slovak Party. With the parliamentary groups of SVM, SPS and JS, the government can count on 83 deputies out of 120 in total.

The opposition coalition “Serbia against violence” with 30 mandates could have been the second largest parliamentary group, but it split into four parts. The largest opposition group is the Party of Freedom and Justice, which has nine MPs.

Read more information from Novi Sad on a separate page link.