Pupovac, Zigmanov sign declaration on cooperation

ZAGREB - The president of Croatia's Serb National Council, Milorad Pupovac, who is also the leader of the Independent Democratic Serb Party, signed with Serbian Human Rights Minister Tomislav Zigmanov, who is also the leader of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina, a declaration on cooperation between Serbs in Croatia and Croats in Serbia.

The declaration was signed at a press conference in Zagreb, garnering great media attention ahead of Friday's visit by Serbian First Deputy PM and FM Ivica Dacic, who will attend a traditional Christmas reception to be hosted by the Serb National Council.

"The declaration on cooperation contains all key, vital points of interest for Croats in Serbia and Serbs in Croatia that also have to do with all rights and the circumstances in which those rights are being exercised," Pupovac said.

"I am here to testify of the fundamental mission of the Democratic Alliance of Croats in Vojvodina - besides creating the crucial preconditions for improvement of the position of Croats in the Republic of Serbia, we must do that in a responsible manner and, by articulating that interest, we must create practices that will enable an implementation of the platform in wider state, social and ethnic frameworks," Zigmanov said.

In that sense, our cooperation with the Serb community in Croatia is natural because it is a part of our fundamental political frameworks, he said.