| Parliamentary Assembly Council of Europe Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights Rapporteur: Mr. Jürgen HERRMANN, Germany, Group of the European People's Party AndAll Members of the Parliamentary Assembly Subject: Open Remarks on Jürgen Herrmann’s Report on The situation of national minorities in Vojvodina and of the Romanian ethnic minority in Serbia Dear Mr. Herrmann, Distinguished Members of the Parliamentary Assembly, We analyzed your Report on ethnic minorities in Serbia with duly attention and interest and found out regretfully certain confusion in terminology, in particular Vlach-Vlachs. Sincerely and in order to clarify created confusion, we would like to draw your attention on following facts: - In addition to Romanic ethnic minorities of Vlachs and Romanians, there are Aromanians (Armans) or Tzintzari locally called in Serbia also, which cannot be identified with other mentioned minorities. - Aromanians (Armans) have been considered to be autochthonous Balkan nation with own history lacking today public awareness as well as more information about its status; sometimes, it’s been even interpreted incorrectly as it was done in your Report twice, namely, at Item 113 where you referred to the Recommendation 1333 of the Council of Europe and Item 114 where you merged Vlachs from Serbia with Aromanians (Armans). Being completely aware that Europe and its institutions consider this issue carefully and that the created mistakes were made unintentionally, we would like to draw your attention on some additional facts: - The Recommendation 1333 of the Council of Europe addressed to Aromanians (Armans) exclusively and it stipulated that it would refer to particular Balkan nation originated from exact geo-political area and being inhabited today in several countries, namely, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Romania as well as in other European countries and in the USA, Australia and Canada. - Aromanians (Armans) in Greece, Republic of Macedonia, and, partially, in Bulgaria have been called Vlachs by the majority. Any leveling of the term Vlach with the term Romanian in any context and occasion would be an act of certain violence by which one nation, Aromanians (Armans) in concrete, would be declared as another nation. Once again, we would like to say that the Recommendation 1333 considered Aromanians (Armans) and not Vlachs in Serbia. Finally, distinguished Mr. Herrmann, we express our regrets that during your stay in Serbia in order to collect data you did not find a time to contact our Aromanian (Arman) community. Hopping that you will consider our remarks thoroughly, we avail ourselves in consideration that you or some other competent experts group would address to our national community and become familiar with our autochthony and individualities as well as to provide us with a support in preserving our ethnic, cultural and linguistic rights. Sincerely, Serbo-Tsintsar Association “Lunjina”, Serbia Dimitrije Nikolajeviæ, president Liljana Nikolova – Petroviæ, vice-president 10. April 2008. Belgrade, Serbia |