Historical facts in the breakup of Yugoslavia must be recognized once and for all
EU proposal lays out steps on Kosovo independence
Dear Editor,
In your article “EU proposal lays out steps on Kosovo independence” by Dan Bilefsky and Stephen Castle (Dec 12, 2007) the commentators make the often quoted but erroneous statement when writing that the “early recognition of an independent Croatia accelerated the breakup of Yugoslavia. The actual historical facts must be recognized once and for all to prevent the permanent establishment of falsehoods parading as truth.
These are the five chronologically important historical dates leading to Serbia’s aggression against Croatia:
May 1990: Croatia and Slovenia in the first free multiparty elections in Yugoslavia since the fall of the Berlin Wall, overwhelmingly chose democracy, while Serbia chooses communism, renamed socialism. The Serb minority in Croatia immediately started with its rebellion, supported by Serbia, with illegal activities, killings and blocking of major roads cutting Croatia from its Adriatic coast.
June 1991: After months of fruitless negotiations with Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia voted for total independence, their right to secession given in the Yugoslav Constitution of 1974. The EU asked Croatia and Slovenia to delay the declaration of independence until October of that year. Croatia and Slovenia agreed. The Serb-led Yugoslav army starts with stronger military aggression.
Oct. 1991: After the October declaration of independence, a full-blown war envelopes against Croatia, Serbs having all the arms of the Yugoslav war machine at their disposal, Croatia none. Vukovar and one third of Croatia is devastated, hundreds of thousands Croatians ethnically cleansed and many massacred by the Serb/Yugoslav army and Serb paramilitary. Over forty mass graves testify to this tragedy. Dubrovnik and other towns on the Adriatic coast are continually shelled. At least 20,000 lost their lives.
Jan. 1992: EU and other countries recognize Croatia, but Serbia continues with its aggression against a sovereign country, – it is not a “civil war”.
Aug. 1995: With quiet American approval and strategic help, Croatia’s military successfully liberates its occupied territories in the so-called Krajina region and saves Bosnia. Four years of war ended.
Sincerely,
Hilda Marija Foley
Formatted for CROWN by Marko Puljić
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