Croatian National Council calls for minority election participation in Serbia

The Croatian National Council (HNV) celebrated the birthday of Ban Josip Jelačić with ceremonies in Petrovaradin and Novi Sad. During the event, HNV President Jasna Vojnić called on the Croatian community in Serbia to participate in the upcoming minority elections on November 8 to support the continued empowerment of the community.

Vojnić noted that while the Republic of Croatia provides ongoing support, certain challenges must be addressed by the community itself. She highlighted a difficult socio-political atmosphere in Serbia, noting that high-ranking Croatian government officials did not attend the celebration to avoid friction with a large pre-election rally organized by the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) occurring simultaneously in Novi Sad.

Ivan Zeko Pivač, the Deputy Ambassador of Croatia to Serbia, also commented on the political tensions but emphasized the resilience and strength of the Croatian community, noting that hundreds of people attended the festivities despite the local political disruptions.