| Disputed island Other names: Šarengradska ada, Шаренградска ада |
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|---|---|
| Position of the island. | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Danube River |
| Total islands | 1 |
| Administered by | |
| Serbia | |
| Claimed by | |
| Croatia | |
| Serbia | |
Island of Šarengrad (Croatian: Šarengradska ada, Serbian: Шаренградска ада / Šarengradska ada) is a Danube river island situated close to the village of Šarengrad in Croatia.[1] The island was formed in 1909 with the construction of the Mohovo-Šarengrad canal.[2]
During the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia the island was part of the Socialist Republic of Croatia. During the Croatian War of Independence, Yugoslav People's Army and Serbian militia occupied the island.
It was the opinion of the Badinter Arbitration Committee that the borders between republics should become the borders between the countries,[3][4][5][6] so Island of Šarengrad had officially become the territory of the Republic of Croatia, even if it was under Serbian occupation at the time.
In 1998 by a Erdut Agreement, Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Syrmia was reintegrated with Croatia, but the Island of Šarengrad together with Island of Vukovar has stayed under Serbian military occupation.
In 2002 the Serbian army opened fire from the island on the president of the Vukovar-Syrmia County, Nikola Safer, and his escort which included four children in time when he was going for a meeting with his colleague from Serbia. This was despite the party having had formal consent from Serbian officials.[7][8]
In 2004 Serbia withdrew its army from the island, which has been replaced with Serbian police. Any citizen of Croatia can approach that island crossing the border Backa Palanka - Ilok, as any other foreign citizen can. Lawful landlords (Croatian citizens) still can not reach a control over their land possessions on the island. Land registration books are managed by Croatian authorities, but the Serbian side does not recognise these ownerships. In 2009, the island was opened up for recreational purposes after a temporary arrangement was established.[9]
Official Serbian position is that because the Island of Šarengrad is nearer to east, Serbian coast of Danube, while Danube is navigable only from side toward Croatia. On the other side the official Croatian position is that the opinion of the Badinter Arbitration Committee is final and without question so the island is a Croatian territory. From the perspective of international community, the island is part of the Croatian state, according to an internationally recognized border.
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