| 1991 Croatian independence referendum | ||
|---|---|---|
| Electorate | 3,652,225 | |
| Turnout | (83.56%) 3,051,881 | |
| Supporting sovereignty and independence of Croatia | ||
| Voting options | Votes | % |
| Yes | 2,845,521 | 93.24 |
| No | 126,630 | 4.15 |
| Supporting Croatia remaining in federal Yugoslavia | ||
| Voting options | Votes | % |
| Yes | 164,267 | 5.38 |
| No | 2,813,085 | 92.18 |
| Source: State Election Committee[1] | ||
Croatia held anindependence referendum on 19 May 1991, following theCroatian parliamentary elections of 1990 and the rise of ethnic tensions that led to thebreakup of Yugoslavia. With 83 percent turnout, voters approved the referendum, with 93 percent in favor of independence. Subsequently,Croatia declared independence and the dissolution of its association withYugoslavia on 25 June 1991, but it introduced a three-monthmoratorium on the decision when urged to do so by theEuropean Community and theConference on Security and Cooperation in Europe through theBrioni Agreement. Thewar in Croatia escalated during the moratorium, and on 8 October 1991, theCroatian Parliament severed all remaining ties with Yugoslavia. In 1992, the countries of theEuropean Economic Community granted Croatiadiplomatic recognition and Croatia was admitted to theUnited Nations.
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AfterWorld War II, Croatia became aone-partysocialist federal unit of theSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Croatia was ruled by theLeague of Communists and enjoyed a degree of autonomy within the Yugoslav federation. In 1967, a group of Croatian authors and linguists published theDeclaration on the Status and Name of the Croatian Literary Language, demanding greater autonomy for theCroatian language.[2] The declaration contributed to a national movement seeking greatercivil rights and decentralization of the Yugoslav economy, culminating in theCroatian Spring of 1971, which was suppressed by Yugoslav leadership.[3] The1974 Yugoslav Constitution gave increased autonomy to federal units, essentially fulfilling a goal of the Croatian Spring and providing a legal basis for independence of the federative constituents.[4]
In the 1980s, the political situation in Yugoslavia deteriorated, with national tension fanned by the 1986 SerbianSANU Memorandum and the1989 coups in Vojvodina, Kosovo and Montenegro.[5][6] In January 1990, theCommunist Party fragmented along national lines, with the Croatianfaction demanding a looser federation.[7] In the same year, thefirst multi-party elections were held in Croatia, withFranjo Tuđman's win resulting in furthernationalist tensions.[8] The Croatian Serb politicians boycotted theSabor, and local Serbs seized control of Serb-inhabited territory,setting up road blocks and voting for those areas to becomeautonomous. TheSerb "autonomous oblasts" would soon unite to become the internationally unrecognizedRepublic of Serbian Krajina (RSK),[9][10] intent on achieving independence from Croatia.[11][12]
On 25 April 1991, the Croatian Parliament decided to hold an independence referendum on 19 May. The decision was published in theofficial gazette of the Republic of Croatia and made official on 2 May 1991.[13] The referendum offered two options. In the first, Croatia would become asovereign and independent state, guaranteeing cultural autonomy and civil rights to Serbs and other minorities in Croatia, free to form an association of sovereign states with other former Yugoslav republics. In the second, Croatia would remain in Yugoslavia as a unified federal state.[13][14] Serb local authorities called for aboycott of the vote.[15] Alternative counter-referendum was held a week earlier in Serb controlled areas where voters were asked if they want to remain a part of Yugoslavia and with this referendum being delayed inSAO Eastern Slavonia where it took place on the same day as the Croatian independence referendum.[16] The Croatian independence referendum was held at 7,691polling stations, where voters were given two ballots—blue and red, with a single referendum option each, allowing use of either or both of ballots. The referendum question proposingindependence of Croatia, presented on the blue ballot, passed with 93.24% in favor, 4.15% against, and 1.18% of invalid or blank votes. The second referendum question, proposing that Croatia should remain in Yugoslavia, was declined with 5.38% votes in favor, 92.18% against and 2.07% of invalid votes. The turnout was 83.56%.[1]
Croatia subsequently declared independence and dissolved (Croatian:razdruženje) its association with Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991.[17][18] TheEuropean Economic Community and theConference on Security and Cooperation in Europe urged Croatian authorities to place a three-monthmoratorium on the decision.[19] Croatiaagreed to freeze its independence declaration for three months, initially easing tensions.[20] Nonetheless, theCroatian War of Independence escalated further.[21] On 7 October, the eve of expiration of the moratorium, theYugoslav Air Forceattacked Banski dvori, the maingovernment building inZagreb.[22][23] On 8 October 1991, the moratorium expired, and the Croatian Parliament severed all remaining ties with Yugoslavia. That particular session of the parliament was held in theINA building inŠubićeva Street in Zagreb due to security concerns provoked by the aforementioned Yugoslavair raid;[24] specifically, it was feared that the Yugoslav Air Force might attack the parliament building.[25] 8 October was celebrated asCroatia's Independence Day for a while. Nowadays, October 8 is the Memorial Day of the Croatian Parliament and no longer a public holiday.[26]
TheBadinter Arbitration Committee was set up by theCouncil of Ministers of theEuropean Economic Community (EEC) on 27 August 1991 to provide legal advice and criteria fordiplomatic recognition to former Yugoslav republics.[27] In late 1991, the Commission stated, among other things, that Yugoslavia was in the process of dissolution, and that the internal boundaries of Yugoslav republics could not be altered unless freely agreed upon.[28] Factors in the preservation of Croatia's pre-war borders, defined by demarcation commissions in 1947,[29] were the Yugoslav federal constitutional amendments of 1971 and 1974, granting that sovereign rights were exercised by the federal units, and that the federation had only the authority specifically transferred to it by the constitution.[4][30]
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Germany advocated quick recognition of Croatia, stating that it wanted to stop ongoing violence in Serb-inhabited areas. It was opposed byFrance, theUnited Kingdom, and theNetherlands, but the countries agreed to pursue a common approach and avoid unilateral actions. On 10 October, two days after the Croatian Parliament confirmed the declaration of independence, the EEC decided to postpone any decision to recognize Croatia for two months, deciding to recognize Croatian independence in two months if the war had not ended by then. As the deadline expired, Germany presented its decision to recognize Croatia as its policy and duty—a position supported byItaly andDenmark. France and the UK attempted to prevent the recognition by drafting aUnited Nations resolution requesting no unilateral actions which could worsen the situation, but backed down during theSecurity Council debate on 14 December, when Germany appeared determined to defy the UN resolution. On 17 December, the EEC formally agreed to grant Croatia diplomatic recognition on 15 January 1992, relying on opinion of the Badinter Arbitration Committee.[31] The Committee ruled that Croatia's independence should not be recognized immediately, because the newCroatian Constitution did not provide protection of minorities required by the EEC. In response, thePresidentFranjo Tuđman gave written assurances toRobert Badinter that the deficit would be remedied.[32] The RSK formally declared its separation from Croatia on 19 December, but its statehood and independence were not recognized internationally.[33] On 26 December, Yugoslav authorities announced plans for a smaller state, which could include the territory captured from Croatia,[34] but the plan was rejected by theUN General Assembly.[35]
Croatia was first recognized as an independent state on 26 June 1991 bySlovenia, whichdeclared its own independence on the same day as Croatia.[17]Lithuania followed on 30 July, andUkraine,Latvia,Iceland, and Germany in December 1991.[36] The EEC countries granted Croatia recognition on 15 January 1992, and the United Nations admitted them in May 1992.[37][38]
Although it is not a public holiday, 15 January is marked as the day Croatia won international recognition by Croatian media and politicians.[39] On the day's 10th anniversary in 2002, theCroatian National Bank minted a 25kunacommemorative coin.[40] In the period following the declaration of independence, the war escalated, with thesieges of Vukovar[41] andDubrovnik,[42] and fighting elsewhere, until aceasefire of 3 January 1992 led to stabilization and a significant reduction of violence.[43] The war effectively ended in August 1995 with a decisive victory for Croatia as a result ofOperation Storm.[44] Present day borders of Croatia were established when the remainingSerb-held areas of Eastern Slavonia were restored to Croatia pursuant to theErdut Agreement of November 1995, with the process concluded in January 1998.[45]
| Parliamentary elections | |
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| Presidential elections | |
| European elections | |
| Chamber of Counties elections | |
| Local elections | |
| Minorities elections | |
| Referendums | |
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 Independence referendums in Yugoslavia | |
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| Republics and provinces |
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| Autonomy | |
