Summarized from the Hungarian Human Rights Foundation (HTMH)’s 1996 annual report on transborder Hungarian minorities — one part of a five-part series circulated by A.J. Vadasz in September 1997 (section B is not present in the surviving copy). Other parts in this series: Transborder Hungarians: Serbia (Vojvodina) · Transborder Hungarians: Slovakia · Transborder Hungarians: The West · Transborder Hungarians: Carpato-Ukraine (Kárpátalja) · Transborder Hungarians: Romania (Erdély/Transylvania).

In fact it concerns Vojvodina (Vajdasag) home to most Yugoslavia Hungarians

1. Demographics

Having reached a peak of over 450 thousand in the 1941 census, by 1991 down to about 341 thousand. Indications are further shrinkage since then. Causes include emigration, intermarriage, census machinations. Since 1990 the war in the Balkans has brought about exceedingly difficult economic condiditions, encouraging emigration. The proportion of Hungarians was further depressed by relocating Serbs from disputed areas, such as the Krajina. Thus many Hungarian-majority jurisdictions are now dominated by Serbs. Other minorities (Romanians, Slovaks, Germans, Croats) have also suffered in their proportions.

2. Legal

The 1974 constitution granted broad autonomy rights to the five recognized minorities, including Hungarians. In 1993 these were reaffirmed, however certain regulations have counteracted their stated objectives. These include educational restrictions: e.g. upping the required minimum minority class sizes, ignoring teachers’ language skills. The war brought further hardships: the proportion of minority draftees exceeds Serb participation. Those escaping the draft precluded from inheritance. While the June 1996 draft amnesty alleviates lunishment, those afftected still have to serve. While Hungarians continue to serve in lawmaking capacities, they are almost nonexistent in the civil service. The two most significant political parties include the VMDK (Vajdasagi magyarok demokratikus kozossege) and the VMSz (Vajdasagi magyar szovetseg). The VMSz is apparently a splinter of the VMDK and was formed as a result of a platform dispute. The VMDK has succeeded in getting 9 delegates into the Serb (Republic) parlament and 3 into the federal (Yugoslav) body. There is also a nonpolitical, civil rights organization, the VMPM (Vajdasagi magyar polgari mozgalom) 3 ECONOMY. The war years have substantially burdened the Hungarian community, while few have participated in the profiteering sector. What enterprises exist, are in the agricultural and processing field, struggling with lack of capital. Joint ventures with foreigners have stopped due to the embargo. 4. EDUCATION. There is no autonomous Hungarian school network. Due to lack of opportunity, many Hungarian students frequent Serbian institutions: 20% in elementary grades, 33% in middle and 41% at the University level. The non-Hungarian instructions are primarily in vocational fields. There is no independent Hungarian University. Hungarian college-level instructions are available within Serb institutions, as well as in the extension- activities of Hungary-based entities. The Hungarian-language University curricula are primarily in teacher education, such as in Ujvidek and Sombor. The number attending however has sharply dropped since the peak years of 1976 and 1977. There are no private or parochial Hungarian schools. A Catholic seminary (Paulinum) teaches in Croat and Hungarian those preparing for the clergy. There are a number of University students enrolled in Hungary, but certain diplomas (esp. law) are not recognized . 5 RELIGION There are two Catholic dioceses in the area, serving both Hungarian and Croat parishes. Currently both are headed by Hungarians. There are a small number of Reformed churches: their bishop currently is also a Hungarian. Both major Churches have a shortage of clergymen, thus fewer (and older) pastors are serving their communities. 6. CIVIL ACTIVITIES. Since the advent of multiparty actiuvities, a number of organizations have been formed; these include cultural associations, professionals groups (e.g. physicians), youth groups. 7 MEDIA. The only daily newspaper is the “Magyar Szo”, based in Ujvidek (Novi Sad). In the Tito years it served the administration. Since then on the surface it has been privatized, however the government has overtly interfered in its editorial policies. This has caused protests by the staff, resulting in newsprint shortages (government-controlled). To survive it has recently shrunk in size. There are several weeklies, some under government, others in private hands. Here, too there had been government interference, usually under the threat of newsprint allocation. Their number includes vocational media, childrens’ and youth publications. There are also three monthly journals. All printed media suffer from financial shortages: both government and privately owned. There had been help from Hungary, both financial as well as newsprint shipments., without which hardly a one could have survived. In the electronic media, there are Hungarian TV programs , primarily from Ujvidek. Recent personnel and program downsizing have brought their toll. Ujvidek is also home of Hungarian-language radio, which too has been the subject of political controversy. 8 MAJORITY environment. The shrill, nationalistic government trend during the Croatian and Bosnian wars has engengendered lack of tolerance of all minorities, however- compared with the Croats and Albanians- Hungarians have been subjected to fewer direct attacks. There is some government help theoretically available for all political parties, however the two Hungarian parties have received very little: a few supplies. The RELATIVELY benign treatment of Hungarians is attributed to the friendly attitude of the Hungarian government during the boycott years.