Külügyi Szemle - A Magyar Külügyi Intézet folyóirata - 2011 (10. évfolyam)
2011 / 4. szám - MAGYAR KÜLPOLITIKA ÉS A DÉLSZLÁV VÁLSÁG - Szilágyi Imre: Magyarország és Szerbia viszonya a rendszerváltás óta eltelt időszakban
Szilágyi Imre Résumé The Relationship between Hungary and Serbia after the Systemic Change Hungary's foreign policy aspirations with respect to Serbia are determined by three aspects which are also related to the general priorities of Hungarian foreign policy: good neighbourly relations, Hungarian policy regarding Hungarian minorities in neighbouring countries and the European Union. The latter was a goal before 2004 and it has also become a tool (among others) by which Hungary supports European integration of its neighbouring countries since the Hungarian accession to the EU. Realisation of the above-mentioned objectives became difficult in the case of Serbia due to the attitude of politicians in Belgrade. This was partly due to Serbia's role in the wars in the Former Yugoslavia (which negatively affected Hungary as well), and also partly due to Belgrade's policy towards Hungarians living in Serbia's northern province of Vojvodina. After the fall of Milosevic in 2000, the situation in Serbia altered and Hungary has been supporting the democratisation process and the EU integration aspirations of Serbia. But time and again it was a difficult situation for Hungary, because of the ethnic tensions and atrocities against Hungarians living in Vojvodina. The situation improved when Serbia passed a law on the autonomy of Vojvodina and a law on councils for nationalities in 2009. This is why it was especially disappointing when the law of restitution passed during the autumn of 2011 contained a paragraph, which was unacceptable to Vojvodina Hungarians and also for Budapest because of the principle of collective guilt in the law. Hungary had no choice but to put pressure on Belgrade which proved to be an effective policy and so Hungary did not veto Serbia's EU accession in December 2011. 94 Külügyi Szemle
