As part of his constant mission of support to the strengthening of minority rights and the preservation of national identity, the Chairman of the National Assembly of the Republic of Serbia, Predrag Markovic, accepted the invitation of the chairman of the Committee on Cultural, Educational and Social Issues of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organisation of Black Sea Economic Co-operation, and deputy to the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro, Jan Husarik, and last night opened, as patron, an event entitled “Kovacica – A pearl in the necklace of Vojvodina culture”, held on a country estate near Zabalj.

In the presence of deputies to the Serbian Assembly and the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro, diplomats, and artists from Kovacica, Mr Markovic underlined that the National Assembly would always help national minorities keep their specific traits, but would also keep reminding them that they cannot do so alone, but rather in co-operation with society as a whole. “I am happy that the identity of the Slovak minority is being preserved, not only in Petrovac and Kovacica, but also in Senta, which I found when I visited the Senta museum. Senta was inhabited mainly by Germans and Slovaks; today it is populated by Hungarians and Serbs, but the museum there shows that Slovak national costumes have been adopted by other ethnic groups”, Mr Markovic said. He stressed that preserving identity was important only for self-respect, but that doing so was rather a pre-condition for a better life, as life cannot improve if culture, reason and tolerance are preserved. “Serbia is a land of beautiful nature and rich cultural heritage, but, as important it is to let the world know about these, it is no less crucial to let our own public know about them, as cultural tourism is a field where Serbia has potential. This is very important, as integration into Europe means, on the one hand, adopting standards, and, on the other, being aware of differences and preserving them. The Slovak minority has shown they can do this”, Mr Markovic concluded.

“Kovacica – A pearl in the necklace of Vojvodina culture” is only one in a line of events designed to promote Serbia’s cultural heritage. The main task of the Committee on Cultural, Educational and Social Issues of the Parliament of Serbia and Montenegro, as part of the Parliamentary Assembly of Black Sea Economic Co-operation, is to preserve the cultural identity of ethnic communities who have lived in the region for centuries by promoting their cultures.