An Analysis of Border Relations in the Balkans After the Dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: The Case of Serbia and Croatia
An Analysis of Border Relations in the Balkans After the Dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia: The Case of Serbia and Croatia

Summary/Abstract: This study provides a comprehensive examination of border disputes between Serbia and Croatia from historical, legal, and political perspectives. The main focus of this research is the status of both the de facto and de jure of the Vukovarska and Gornja Šarengrad islands located on the Danube. These disputes stem from the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and the legacy of Tito's border policy. This study analyses the tensions between effective control and the principles of international law in border delineation. In this context, the thalweg principle and the uti possidetis juris doctrine are comparatively assessed through historical documents and existing international agreements. The research is theoretically grounded in border analysis theory, which posits that borders should not be viewed merely as geographical demarcation lines but rather as reflections of political sovereignty, identity construction, and regional power relations. This theoretical framework demonstrates that borders are continuously reproduced within historical and social contexts, emphasising their nature as dynamic sociopolitical constructs that extend beyond physical geography. The findings reveal that borders are shaped through the interaction of political, ethnic, and social forces, rather than existing solely as geographical lines. The results further indicate that disputed borders often possess the characteristics of so-called "frozen boundaries" - territories under de facto control but lacking full legal resolution. Consequently, the study concludes that, in the context of the Balkans in general and Serbia-Croatia relations in particular, the resolution of border disputes requires a holistic approach that integrates historical, social, political, and theoretical dimensions, rather than relying solely on cartographic or legal instruments.

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