Stara Pazova. - Since three years ago, when "Glasnik", a publication of Vojvodjanski klub (Vojvodina Club), first appeared in print, "Founders platform" was published as were reports of other activities, and a Platform for contemporary autonomy of Vojvodina. This, in fact, is the document signifying the program of Vojvodina Club, which came out of the sum of work done to date.
Because of media blockade, Platform was slow in reaching the public, and then conditions changed, it said among other things in the editorial of the anniversary "Glasnik." Peace arrived, other questions are making the agenda. "Every mature and responsible thinking about ways of escaping the difficult situation we found ourselves in, faced with consequences of silent approval of unwise decisions of our leaders, pointed in the same direction, or to something very similar as was described in the Platform."
Therefore, questions of democratizations, decentralization of government -- or polycentric organizination of Serbia and Yugoslavia -- regionalization, return of competence to local governments, equal treatment of all nationalities, market economy based on privatization of property, city rule and demonopolization of public media. That something has changed, however, is best proved by the reaction of political parties to the Platform and the Manifesto for Autonomous Vojvodina. First document was followed by noticeable ignorance of all levels of government and political parties, and also the media, but the Manifest prompted reactions from almost all political parties, the public, and in a way -- the government. Manifesto was signed by 17 political and non- political organizations, and seven political parties accepted its basic premises or gave the same or similar accounts.
According to scientific research, over 60 percent of people in Vojvodina support the idea of full autonomy in a democratic Serbia and Yugoslavia. With this, the question of Vojvodina's autonomy was made legitimate, it is claimed here. "Glasnik" attempted to publicize in the past three years that "Striving of Vojvodina for autonomy was caused not by the subjective will of one or the other political force, but objective, continuing geographic, historical, economic, ethnic, cultural, and civilizational characteristics of this region."
That is, members of the Vojvodina Club are convinced that this is an authentic interest of all Vojvodina's citizens, regardless of their national, religious, professional or party background, and regardless of whether they were born here or came to stay.
Last issue of "Glasnik" (number 37) also published information about the 28th Speaker's Podium of Vojvodina Club, to be held on Tuesday, June 18, with the main topic of Vojvodina's autonomy and regionalism. Miodrag Jovicic (professor at Belgrade's School of Law and member of the Serbian Academy of Arts and Sciences), Desimir Tosic (journalist and federal representative from Belgrade), and dr Jovan Komsic (political scientist and journalist from Novi Sad) will present talks.