I

The DCHV is an organization of political representation whose purpose is to define, express and represent by democratic means the fundamental interests and aspirations of this ethnic group. It takes part in elections, because no political force has undertaken to represent the Hungarians aspirations for autonomy, but it is not a political party, since it does not aim for power, nor does it have a chance of obtaining an electoral majority outside the communities inhabited by Hungarians.

Since the DCHV is not a party, but an interest-representing organization whose aim is to assert the Hungarian community's aspirations for autonomy, the prime task of the organization and its representatives is to further the political struggle for autonomy. Its representatives and councillors accordingly support by democratic means all political efforts aimed at democratizing society and attaining as thorough and swift a change of system as possible.

DCHV representatives in representative assemblies may reach coalition agreements with parties deemed by the Hungarians to be democratic, but these in return must support the DCHV's endeavour to bring about as soon as possible a dialogue on its demands for autonomy.

In line with its democratic objectives, the DCHV and its representatives may only take or endorse initiatives towards political cooperation that are worthy, democratic and in accordance with local conditions. The DCHV and its groups of representatives may only take decisions on cooperation and appointments to public offices by secret vote with multiple candidacy.

In the case of nominations for local-government posts, the proposals are made jointly by the DCHV organizations and the councillors, but the nomination is decided by the councillors by secret vote. The right of political control and expression of opinion is exercised by the requisite organizations of the DCHV.

During the elections, the DCHV permanently became an effective political factor on the domestic political scene. Representatives from its ranks were able to obtain posts of importance. In every post and on every occasion, the representative organization expects them to support the idea of autonomy. It does not expect them to assist in the specific realization of our objectives, but if they do harm to the idea of autonomy or to the DCHV as the organization representing the interests of the Hungarian community in Voivodina, the bodies of the DCHV will make this fact known and dissociate themselves from the actions and positions they have taken. The bodies of the DCHV reserve the right, through decisions taken by secret vote, to appeal to Hungarian voters not to vote in future for those who work against the fundamental interests of the Hungarian community in Voivodina.

II

In the political climate in which the DCHV and its representatives and councillors must currently operate, there are certain circumstances that impede the implementation of our ideas. The first of these concerns the DCHV's operation as an interest-representing organization. All the actors an the domestic political stage apart from the DCHV and the Democratic Association of Croatians in Voivodina are political parties whose organization and aspirations for political power do not in principle have a national basis. But these parties all agree on one thing: in considering the rights of the minorities sufficient or too great. On the question of minority rights, the DCHV is essentially confronted by a united party bloc from which concessions can only be expected in response to outside pressure. At the same time, the DCHV's representatives and councillors also represent the citizens, and in addition, the democratic aspirations of the DCHV can only be realized on the existing political stage. So dual activity is required: the DCHV cannot draw any distinction on minority matters between the parties facing it, but on all other matters it must support those whose political activity points towards democratization and the swiftest possible change of system. It is not easy in practice to keep this duality in mind or act in a principled way in every case.

Also becoming increasingly clear is the problem that appears on a local-government level in communities with a Hungarian majority. The uniform DCHV majority brought about in several places by the elections last May actually raises the danger of one-party control. Although the local-government authorities do not have significant powers and the future Hungarian local-government council will be formed on a multi-party basis, there have been instances of unprincipled disputes and even jostling for such posts as these local-government authorities are competent to decide upon at all. It seems that the function of the opposition must be taken by the organizations of the DCHV in these cases.

Thirdly, it must be pointed out that a measure of disturbance has been caused in the political activity of the DCHV-particularly during the preparations for the elections, but also later, in the daily practice of the DCHV's representatives and councillors by the actions of Hungarians who have appeared as political opponents of the DCHV under the colours of Serbian parties and pro claiming democratic objectives. These Hungarians, ignoring the historic opportunities open to us and emphasizing mainly liberal slogans, promote the cause of Serbian parties that describe themselves as democratic and work against the DCHV's autonomy concept of political independence, and of course democratic responsibility. Their motives are either to regain posts they obtained earlier from the Serbian authorities or to obtain certain political, financial or other advantages as a reward for their compliance. Such Hungarians are the DCHV's political foes, but not our enemies. We must treat them an opposition that goads the DCHV to advance the fundamental interests of the Voivodina Hungarian community by struggling for its political legitimacy. This it must do all the more because the developments in international conditions have made the DCHV's concept of autonomy acceptable. All we need in order to turn this concept into reality, alongside the political legitimacy that the DCHV confirmed in the elections, is endurance, and not least clever political activity.

III

The DCHV's representatives and councillors can also help in realizing the objectives of our organization in practical ways. This they can do in local-government organizations where the DCHV is in a majority by pursuing consistently the fundamental interests of the Voivodina Hungarian community:

Where no other ways are possible, they should at least make loud verbal protests against attempts to curtail minority rights.

They must seek and build up forms of cooperation that will continue to be useful after autonomy has been established. o They should encourage the work of educational, arts and information institutions and help them to form, so laying the foundations for autonomy in this field.

They must safeguard the equality of rights of citizens living in the territory of the community, and identify the appropriate forms of cooperation with the Serbian inhabitants, particularly those who support the speediest possible change of system.

They must apply in practice the democratic methods established within the DCHV, above all the institution of secret voting on all decisions of major political importance.

These things can be done only with great difficulty, if at all, where DCHV councillors are in a minority. But the political reputation of the DCHV is enhanced by groups that act in accordance with democratic political methods and take issue as a matter of principle against all attacks on minority rights. Effective assistance can be given to those who advocate a change of system even by DCHV groups in a minority. DCHV representatives are not in a majority in either parliament. Their role there is to advocate and effectively support the policy of the DCHV. We must naturally support in our practical activity the solutions aimed at producing a change of system and the representatives who advance them. It is also important that DCHV representatives strive to win over both the democratically inclined representatives and the general public on public issues where they have a proposal of their own to make. In addition, it is the task of the representatives to promote and propagate the idea of a dialogue with the authorities in power.

The Presidency of the DCHV