The umbrella organization of Serb clubs in Austria – the Association of Serbs in Austria – elected a new management after several years of its non-functioning and non-holding of assembly meetings. At the assembly meeting held in Linz, Mladen Filipović was unanimously elected as the new president of the Association.

He is acquainted with the situation in Serbian clubs, since as the head of the RS Representation he is constantly in contact with Serbs and Serbian associations in Austria. Filipović expressed satisfaction that the new management, headed by him, was elected by unanimous decision of all states. He announced that the priority of the work would be mapping of all associations in Austria, in order to analyze the situation accurately. The situation analysis, according to him, aims to identify the problems facing our clubs.

– It turns out the biggest problems are premises and finances – he explained.

Filipović said that the goal was to encourage further broadening of our societies across Austria through various measures, primarily by expanding their offer. The Association will be at the service of all Serbs throughout Austria and, as he points out, all states will be represented in the management. According to Filipović, the focus of work of the new management will be consolidation through the Association, and in connection with that, the revival of communities in the states of Carinthia, Styria, Vorarlberg and Burgenland.

Our interlocutor says that the main goal is to preserve the Serbian alphabet, language, tradition and culture among Serbs in Austria. He also emphasizes that the Association will devote itself to connecting Serbian businessmen. Regarding folklore, Filipović adds that the intention of the new management is to enter into cooperation with the Austrian Association of Serbian Folklore, which will be assisted and supported by the Association. He also underlines that the goal of the new management is to have no divisions and parallel structures.

Contact Mapping

Regarding cooperation with Austrian institutions, Filipović says that mapping of contacts will be carried out at the federal, state and municipal level, and that the authorities will then be approached in order to establish and strengthen the cooperation.

He adds that one of the long-term projects is political representation of Serbs in Austria, and that the Association is ready to help everyone and support every Serb who wants to engage in the Austrian political arena.

Source: VESTI online

Photo: Zoran Mirković