Just in from the Serbian embassy in Canberra.
Brendan
Questions about enclaves of Serbia and
Montenegro
Agreement ON state borders between Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and
Herzegovina has not been signed yet, and the question of enclave Sastavci
has not been answered. negotiations about confirmation of the state
border are being done within the framework of International Diplomatic
Commission for the state borders between Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia
and Herzegovina, whose mission is to identified and confirm the state
border, to describe it in a written form, draw the border on the required
topographic maps and to prepare the proposals under the International
Acts for confirmation of the border. Negotiations have started on 27
April 2001 in Belgrade and so far there had been 7 meetings. The last
meeting of the International Diplomatic Commission was held in Belgrade
on 25 June 2004.
During
negotiations, Serbia and Montenegro has, on the basis of internationally,
broadly accepted principles of border division, offered the proposal for
the border to be drawn in the regions of municipalities of Priboj (Serbia
and Montenegro) and Rudo (B i H), where by instead of using the ridge of
the mountain Bic, to use the middle of the river Lim, from the delta of
the river Uvca to the village of Sjeverin as a border. With this complex
and functional proposal the road communication would be open on the left
bank of the river and that would remove problem of cutting out 2/3 of the
territory of the municipality of Priboj with around 5000 people
(villages of Kasidol, Batkovici, Sjeverin, Zabrdje, Zabrnjica,
Hercegovacka Golesa, Pribojska Golesa, Bucje, Kaludjerovici, Socice and
Krnjaca) from the centre of the municipality. From Priboj, to these
villages, it is possible to come by using international road (former
regional road) Priboj - Rudo, which is 9 km in length and passes over the
territory that according to registrars' books in Rudo, belongs to Bosnia
and Herzegovina and goes through enclave of Sastavci. The possibility of
using second shortest road over the territory of Serbia and Montenegro
would complicate the life and work of the population, as the road is in
excess of 100km in length.
The
question of enclave of Sastavci would be solved within this framework, as
well as the solution of the question for the confirmation of the official
state border as a whole. For the territory of enclave of Sastavci, that
would territorially be transferred to Serbia and Montenegro, as well as
any other changes, Serbia and Montenegro has expressed willingness to
offer competent territorial compensation that are in interest of Bosnia
and Herzegovina.
Moreover, in the proposal from Bosnia and Herzegovina, that generally
insists for the state border to be confirmed by accepting the existing
borders between municipalities of Serbia and Montenegro and Bosnia and
Herzegovina, states that the border in the region of enclave of Satavci
(which is totally surrounded by the territory of municipality of Priboj,
Serbia and Montenegro) is to be confirmed by not following municipality's
border but by making a corridor over the territory of Serbia and
Montenegro and connecting it with the territory of Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
Proposals of both sides offer not to follow municipality border, that are
also legal and in agreement with International Diplomatic Commission and
with the Manual for the work of mixed group of experts for identification
and confirmation of the state border. For the population of the enclave
of Sastavci, the worst solution would be for the border to be confirmed
along the already established municipalitys borders, while at the same
time not if one of the solutions offered is accepted. If the worst
solution is used, then road communication with their main municipality
would be cut and the problems of transportation of agricultural produce,
food, health care and other important aspects for population there would
rise, and there will be a need to provide administration documents by
paying required state tax in order to maintain living status.
During
the formulation of its proposal, Serbia and Montenegro took into the
consideration the facts from the region of enclave of Sastavci that were
gathered on the ground.
Enclave of Sastavci is part of the village Medjurecja (municipality of
Rudo, Bosnia and Herzegovina), with the area of 395 ha 83 a 57 m2. Due to
the small area, it is impossible to show it on the maps that are smaller
in proportion than 1:1,000.000. The enclave did not form during 1990's
with any ethnic cleansing nor with the exchange of the territory as it is
stated in the letter of Dr. Brendan Whyte from the University of
Melbourne. Historic facts about the formation of the enclave on the
territory of Serbia are not known, but among the population it is tied to
the period at the end of XIX and beginning of XX century, when in that
region, the Austro-Hungary and the Ottoman Empires where sharing the
border, after the Congress of Berlin (1878) when the Austro-Hungary was
allowed to annex Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is believed that, due to the
ownership relations from that period, the enclave of Sastavci remained,
after Ottomans retreated from Bosnia to the Raska region (Sandjak), tied
to the Austro-Hungary administration. Later, with the automatic transfer
already established administrative borders, enclave was left tied to the
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
There
are suggestions that during 1980's there were talks about possible
solutions for this enclave, but the detailed proposal was probably left
at the desk of one of the local politicians.
Majority of the population, over 70% are citizens of Serbia, their
documents are issued in Serbia. In 1999 there were 75 households out of
which 25 were Bosnian - Muslim households, and out of 270 people living
there 135 were Bosnian Muslims.
All
the vital infrastructure and systems in the enclave of Sastavci are tied
to the municipality of Priboj and its financing and building was
organised and done by the town of Priboj. Primary school "9
Maj" was build by the Republic of Serbia and education of students
is done according to the plans and programs organised by the Ministry of
Education of Serbia, who is also financing its operation. Ambulance in
Sastavci is a part of the Medical Centre of Priboj, which is providing
staff and finance, and it is paying all the work-related requirements to
the Republic of Serbia. In Sastavci there is a unit of the Ministry
of the Interior and it has its own building. Telecommunication and
postal services are done by "Telekom Uzice" which provides and
maintains telephone connections. Supply of the electrical energy is done
by Serbia. Majority of the high school students are studying in Priboj,
and majority of the workforce is working in Priboj (F.A.P.) Although the
requirement for working in the state institutions of Republic of Serbia
is to have citizenship, there are two citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina
working in the state institutions.
On the
other hand, the land is registered in the registrars' books of
municipality of Rudo (BiH), where the population of Sastavci is paying
its land tax. Citizens of Serbia are paying the tax on its business
buildings (five buildings of recent construction) to the Bosnia and
Herzegovina.
When
it comes to the period of 1992-1995, there was no ethnic cleansing in
Sastavci, Majority out of 10 families of Bosnians (around 10%), were, due
to the closeness of the war activities, moved to Serbia (Priboj,
Prijepolje, Sjenica, Novi Pazar). The reasons for leaving enclave of
Sastavci for Serbia was due to the closeness and existence of the family
ties in Serbia. A number of them have left for Bosnia and Herzegovina.
During this migration there were no casualties. Migration of the Bosnian
- Muslim population, above all due to economic reasons, happened before
the collapse of the Federal Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, mainly in
direction of Gorazde and Sarajevo.
Four
families, made of seven people, have returned to enclave of Sastavci and
they are using their property (land). Those returned did not endure any
police or judicial pressure from the Serbian side. The restored houses
are mainly used as holiday and weekend houses by their owners. Large part
of the young population from Sastavci, both Bosnian and Serbian alike,
have left to live abroad, above all due to the economic reasons.