From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
1997 Eastern Slavonia integrity referendum
|
|
|
Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia
|
|
Choice
|
Votes
|
%
|
Y
Yes
|
76,845
|
99.01%
|
N
No & Invalid
|
768
|
0.99%
|
Valid votes
|
77,613
|
100.00%
|
Invalid or blank votes
|
0
|
0.00%
|
Total votes
|
77,613
|
100.00%
|
Registered voters/turnout
|
100,275
|
77.4%
| |
Source:
[1]
|
1997 Eastern Slavonia integrity referendum
was held on 6 April in short-lived
Serb
parallel entity of
Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia
which at the time was already governed by the
United Nations Transitional Administration for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium
(UNTAES) as an
UN governed territory
.
[1]
Voters were asked whether they supported the proposal for the region of Eastern Slavonia to remain a single territorial
oblast
within
Croatia
after the end of UNTAES mandate instead of division into
Vukovar-Syrmia
and
Osijek-Baranja County
.
[1]
[2]
Reportedly 99.01% or 99.5% of voters voted for the integrity of the region within Croatia.
[3]
[1]
77,40% out of 100.275 registered voters participated in the referendum.
[1]
The
Government of Croatia
as well as the
United Nations
declared the referendum to be illegitimate.
[4]
Referendum was organized by the parallel Serb bodies in the region ahead of the
1997 Croatian local elections
with
Spokesperson for the United States Department of State
R. Nicholas Burns
encouraging all citizens of Croatia, Croats and Serbs, to participate in Croatian local elections.
[4]
Despite the referendum outcome Serbs in the region nonetheless participated in Croatian local elections and a new moderate Serb political party
Independent Democratic Serb Party
won majority of their votes.
[5]
From the beginning the referendum initiative was perceived as an internal political struggle between the moderates
(at the time led by
Vojislav Stanimirovi?
)
and
hawkish
(led by
Goran Had?i?
)
group among the local Serb political leadership.
[6]
While hawkish proposal gained overwhelming electorate support, contrary to the war years moderates managed to prevail due to international support for the moderate course, and additional change of position towards moderates both by parties which will form the
Democratic Opposition of Serbia
and
Slobodan Milo?evi?
regime.
[6]
Following the referendum, Vojislav Stanimirovi? met with the
President of Croatia
Franjo Tuđman
where he stated his belief that "
the best option would be a Serb county, but if neither Croatia nor the international community is willing to accept it then the formation of the
council of Serb municipalities
as planned in Erdut Agreement is the second-best option
".
[1]
See also
[
edit
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References
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edit
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Independence referendums in Yugoslavia
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