Croatia–Serbia relations
Encyclopedia
Croatian-Serbian relations are foreign relations between Croatia
and Serbia
.
Before 1991 and the breakup of Yugoslavia, both countries were part of Yugoslavia
, and they now share 241 km of common border.
There are around 200,000 people of Serbian descent
living in Croatia and around 70,000 Croats
living in Serbia.
, the two countries established diplomatic relations on September 9, 1996. Croatia has an embassy in Belgrade
and a general consulate in Subotica
. Serbia has an embassy in Zagreb
and two general consulates, one in Rijeka
and one in Vukovar
.
. The consulate is responsible for five Slavonian counties: Vukovar-Syrmia County
, Osijek-Baranja, Brod-Posavina, Požega-Slavonia and Virovitica-Podravina county
.
Due to the huge interest of local citizens, in the beginning consulate operated also in Beli Manastir
.. At the time of opening of the consulate, the consulate building was one of the few in Vukovar, which was not destroyed or damaged in the war The consulate is at the end of the war played a very positive role in the life of the local Serbian minority in the city and region.
Representatives of the consulate are frequent interlocutors of local and national media when it comes to issues of protection and promotion of Serbian identity in the Danube region. Consulate organizes and participates in various cultural and educational projects and humanitarian actions, some of which are: celebration of the signing of Erdut Agreement
, showing of documentary films, donation of equipment, organizing concerts etc.
On the occasion of 150 anniversary of the birth of Nikola Tesla
, consulate was, in conjunction with the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb
, co-financed Days of Nikola Tesla in Osijek
.
Over time the consulate achieved close cooperation with minority institutions and organizations such as Joint Council of Municipalities
, Eparchy of Osečko polje and Baranja
, Radio Borovo
...
, of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
, of the Central European Initiative
, of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative
and of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
.
Croatia
Croatia , officially the Republic of Croatia , is a unitary democratic parliamentary republic in Europe at the crossroads of the Mitteleuropa, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean. Its capital and largest city is Zagreb. The country is divided into 20 counties and the city of Zagreb. Croatia covers ...
and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
.
Before 1991 and the breakup of Yugoslavia, both countries were part of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
, and they now share 241 km of common border.
There are around 200,000 people of Serbian descent
Serbs of Croatia
Višeslav of Serbia, a contemporary of Charlemagne , ruled the Županias of Neretva, Tara, Piva, Lim, his ancestral lands. According to the Royal Frankish Annals , Duke of Pannonia Ljudevit Posavski fled, during the Frankish invasion, from his seat in Sisak to the Serbs in western Bosnia, who...
living in Croatia and around 70,000 Croats
Croats
Croats are a South Slavic ethnic group mostly living in Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and nearby countries. There are around 4 million Croats living inside Croatia and up to 4.5 million throughout the rest of the world. Responding to political, social and economic pressure, many Croats have...
living in Serbia.
Diplomatic relations
After the end of the Croatian War of IndependenceCroatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
, the two countries established diplomatic relations on September 9, 1996. Croatia has an embassy in Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
and a general consulate in Subotica
Subotica
Subotica is a city and municipality in northern Serbia, in the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina...
. Serbia has an embassy in Zagreb
Zagreb
Zagreb is the capital and the largest city of the Republic of Croatia. It is in the northwest of the country, along the Sava river, at the southern slopes of the Medvednica mountain. Zagreb lies at an elevation of approximately above sea level. According to the last official census, Zagreb's city...
and two general consulates, one in Rijeka
Rijeka
Rijeka is the principal seaport and the third largest city in Croatia . It is located on Kvarner Bay, an inlet of the Adriatic Sea and has a population of 128,735 inhabitants...
and one in Vukovar
Vukovar
Vukovar is a city in eastern Croatia, and the biggest river port in Croatia located at the confluence of the Vuka river and the Danube. Vukovar is the center of the Vukovar-Syrmia County...
.
Consulate General of Serbia in Vukovar
The Consulate General of Republic of Serbia in Vukovar is the diplomatic mission of Serbia in Vukovar, Croatia. It was established on 5 February 1998, twenty days after the end of the reintegration process of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia into Croatia, which was the end of the Croatian War of IndependenceCroatian War of Independence
The Croatian War of Independence was fought from 1991 to 1995 between forces loyal to the government of Croatia—which had declared independence from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia —and the Serb-controlled Yugoslav People's Army and local Serb forces, with the JNA ending its combat...
. The consulate is responsible for five Slavonian counties: Vukovar-Syrmia County
Vukovar-Syrmia County
Vukovar-Syrmia county is the easternmost Croatian county. It includes the eastern parts of Slavonia and western parts of Syrmia regions; but also the lower Sava river basin ....
, Osijek-Baranja, Brod-Posavina, Požega-Slavonia and Virovitica-Podravina county
Virovitica-Podravina County
Virovitica-Podravina county is a northern Slavonian county in Croatia. Its county seat is in Virovitica and it includes the area around the Drava river, hence the name Podravina...
.
Due to the huge interest of local citizens, in the beginning consulate operated also in Beli Manastir
Beli Manastir
Beli Manastir is a town and municipality in eastern Croatia, the principal town of the Croatian part of Baranja, in the Osijek-Baranja county.-Name:...
.. At the time of opening of the consulate, the consulate building was one of the few in Vukovar, which was not destroyed or damaged in the war The consulate is at the end of the war played a very positive role in the life of the local Serbian minority in the city and region.
Representatives of the consulate are frequent interlocutors of local and national media when it comes to issues of protection and promotion of Serbian identity in the Danube region. Consulate organizes and participates in various cultural and educational projects and humanitarian actions, some of which are: celebration of the signing of Erdut Agreement
Erdut Agreement
The Erdut Agreement , officially the Basic Agreement on the Region of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium, was the agreement reached on November 12, 1995 between the authorities of the Republic of Croatia and the local Serb authorities of the Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia...
, showing of documentary films, donation of equipment, organizing concerts etc.
On the occasion of 150 anniversary of the birth of Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla
Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer...
, consulate was, in conjunction with the U.S. Embassy in Zagreb
United States Ambassador to Croatia
The diplomatic post of United States Ambassador to Croatia was created after the disbanding of Yugoslavia and the United States recognizing the new nation of Croatia on April 7, 1992.*Mara M. Letica – Career FSO**Appointed: August 1992...
, co-financed Days of Nikola Tesla in Osijek
Osijek
Osijek is the fourth largest city in Croatia with a population of 83,496 in 2011. It is the largest city and the economic and cultural centre of the eastern Croatian region of Slavonia, as well as the administrative centre of Osijek-Baranja county...
.
Over time the consulate achieved close cooperation with minority institutions and organizations such as Joint Council of Municipalities
Joint Council of Municipalities
Joint Council of Municipalities is a body that aligns the interests of the Serb ethnic community in Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia in the Osijek-Baranja and Vukovar-Syrmia County, coordinate the law and provides initiatives and proposals to the institutions of government,...
, Eparchy of Osečko polje and Baranja
Eparchy of Osečko polje and Baranja
Eparchy of Osečko polje and Baranja is an eparchy of the Serb Orthodox Church encompassing easternmost areas of Croatia.The present bishop is called Lukijan and his see is in Dalj. The eparchy has three hierarchs with vicarages in Osijek, Vukovar and Baranja, with a total of 39 priests and two...
, Radio Borovo
Radio Borovo
Radio Borovo is radio station of the Serbian national minority in the eastern Croatia. It has a local broadcasting license for the municipality of Borovo, Croatia. Radio Borovo is an independent radio station privately owned, registered as a limited liability company - "Rhapsody", with 75% of...
...
International organizations
Both countries are full members of the Southeast European Cooperation ProcessSoutheast European Cooperation Process
The South East European Co-operation Process was launched on Bulgaria's initiative in 1996. At the Bulgaria-chaired meeting in Sofia, the SEE countries laid the foundations for regional co-operation for the purposes of creating an atmosphere of trust, good neighbourly relations and stability.A...
, of the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe
The Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe was an institution aimed at strengthening peace, democracy, human rights and economy in the countries of South Eastern Europe from 1999-2008. It was replaced by the Regional Co-operation Council in February 2008...
, of the Central European Initiative
Central European Initiative
The Central European Initiative is a forum of regional cooperation in Central, Eastern and South Eastern Europe, counting 18 member states. It was formed in Budapest in 1989.-History:...
, of the Southeast European Cooperative Initiative
Southeast European Cooperative Initiative
The Southeast European Cooperative Initiative, or the SECI, has been an initiative that, under the auspices of men like Erhard Busek and Richard Schifter, has been successful in providing stability in an unstable region and has found support in international organizations and countries...
and of the Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
Organization of the Black Sea Economic Cooperation
On 25 June 1992, the Heads of State and Government of eleven countries signed in Istanbul the Summit Declaration and the Bosporus Statement giving birth to the Black Sea Economic Cooperation ...
.
Disputes
Outstanding disputes include:- border disputes over the Island of ŠarengradIsland of ŠarengradIsland of Šarengrad is a Danube river island situated close to the village of Šarengrad in Croatia. The island was formed in 1909 with the construction of the Mohovo-Šarengrad canal....
and the Island of VukovarIsland of VukovarThe Island of Vukovar is a disputed island on the river Danube. It is situated close to the city of Vukovar.During the existence of Yugoslavia this island was part of Croatia. In the Croatian War of Independence, the Yugoslav People's Army and Serbian paramilitary forces occupied the island.In... - Croatia–Serbia genocide case