Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia

The Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia (Bosnian: Autonomna Pokrajina Zapadna Bosna), or Western Bosnia, was a small unrecognised state that existed in the northwest of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 1993 and 1995. It consisted of the town of Velika Kladuša, its capital, as well as a few nearby villages. It was proclaimed as a result of secessionist politics by Fikret Abdić against the central government of Alija Izetbegović during the Bosnian War. For a short time in 1995, it was known as the Republic of Western Bosnia (Bosnian: Republika Zapadna Bosna).

Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia
Autonomna Pokrajina Zapadna Bosna
1993–1995
Flag ( until July 1995 )
Coat of arms of Western Bosnia
Coat of arms
Map showing the location of Western Bosnia (cyan) betweenthe Republic of Serbian Krajina and Republika Srpska.
Map showing the location of Western Bosnia (cyan) between
the Republic of Serbian Krajina and Republika Srpska.
CapitalVelika Kladuša[1]
45°11′N 15°48′E
Demonym(s)Western Bosnian
Governor 
• 1993–1995
Fikret Abdić
Prime Minister 
• 1993–1995
Zlatko Jušić
LegislatureConstituent Assembly of the AP of Western Bosnia [2]
Historical eraBosnian War and Yugoslav Wars
• Autonomy declared
27 September 1993
18 March 1994
• Independence declared
26 July 1995
7 August 1995
14 December 1995
CurrencyGerman Mark, US Dollar, French Franc, Pound Sterling,[3] possibly Yugoslav Dinar as well.
Preceded by		Succeeded by
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Today part ofBosnia and Herzegovina
Map of Yugoslavia in 1993 that includes Western Bosnia (in grey).

History
See also: Siege of Bihać

Fikret Abdić was the winner of the popular vote to head the government of Bosnia in 1990 but surrendered to Alija Izetbegović under an undisclosed agreement.[4]

In 1993, according to journalist Anthony Loyd, Abdić decided to try to carve out a little state for himself and succeeded in recruiting enough followers to make his dreams a reality. Abdić was able to hold power over his mini-state by using cult-like propaganda techniques over his followers and Serbian arms and military training. "Talking to his autonomist followers was much the same as speaking with cult converts anywhere in the world: a wooden dead-end dialogue hallmarked by the absence of individual rationale and logic."[5] Local residents of Velika Kladuša were reported as treating Abdić with excessive reverence and "were ready to do whatever he said."[6]

The economy of Western Bosnia was largely reliant on the Agrokomerc company of Velika Kladuša.

Little is known about Western Bosnia's political system excluding Abdić and most officeholders have faded into obscurity. A 2010 document pertaining to the final judgment of the Zlatko Jušić (Prime Minister of the APZB) and Ibrahim Jušić (Head of the APZB Police and Security Service) trial held in Croatia, cited the opinion of one witness that the Government of the APZB was "a farce, an ornament" and that it was not consulted with as Abdić himself made decisions regarding key issues.[7][8] This statement was one of the reasons behind Zlatko Jušić's subsequent acquittal of all war crimes charges.[9] AP Western Bosnia also featured a Constituent Assembly, the Vice President of which was Bozidar Sicel.[10]

The Autonomous Province cooperated with Serbia as well as Croatia against the Bosnian government. Abdić's role in undermining the rival authority in Sarajevo was awarded by the governments of Croatia and FR Yugoslavia (Serbia). Agrokomerc was granted a custom-free trade zone in the Croatian port of Rijeka and free trade with Serbian-controlled territories. Trade between Western Bosnia and Croatia occurred during the Bosnian War.

In 1994, Franjo Tuđman changed his policies towards Bosnia after diplomatic pressure from the United States and the UN Security Council. The Washington Agreement was signed in March 1994.[11] The situation became very unfavourable to the future of Western Bosnia, as Fikret Abdić could no longer count on financial or military help by one of his protectors.

It was militarily defeated during Operation Tiger in June and August 1994, when the territory of Western Bosnia was seized by the Bosnian government troops. Fikret Abdić moved to Zagreb.[12] However, they were expelled later that year with the significant help of the Serbs in Operation Spider, and the Autonomous Province of Western Bosnia was re-established.[13][14]

The province declared itself the independent Republic of Western Bosnia (Bosnian: Republika Zapadna Bosna, Република Западна Босна) on 26 July 1995.[15]

In August 1995, Operation Storm made it serve as the last line of defense of the Republic of Serbian Krajina in Croatia. The Republic of Western Bosnia was wiped out completely during the joint Croatian-Bosnian government army action on 7 August 1995.[15] Abdić was forced to flee to Croatia after the operation.[16]

Aftermath

Western Bosnia's territory was incorporated into the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, within the present-day Una-Sana Canton. Fikret Abdić, who maintained friendly relations with Croatian President Franjo Tuđman, had acquired Croatian citizenship and lived in Croatia in exile.

After the death of Tuđman in December 1999 and the defeat of the Croatian Democratic Union in the Croatian elections of 2000, Abdić was eventually arrested and convicted for war crimes against civilian Bosniaks loyal to the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The trial took place in Croatia, where Abdić was condemned to 20 years in prison in 2002. On 9 March 2012, he was released after he had served two thirds of his reduced sentence.[17] In 2016, the citizens of Velika Kladuša elected Abdić mayor.[18]

See also

References
  1. "Istina o Autonomnoj Pokrajini Zapadna Bosna 1993 - 1995. Predgovor". Research Gate. Retrieved 18 January 2020.
  2. "1994/01/23 19:33 if You Can't Beat Them - Join Them".
  3. "1994/01/23 19:33 if You Can't Beat Them - Join Them".
  4. Dawisha, Karen; Parrott, Bruce (1997-06-13). Politics, Power and the Struggle for Democracy in South-East Europe. Cambridge University Press. pp. 132–137. ISBN 9780521597333.
  5. Loyd, Anthony (1 February 2001). My War Gone By, I Miss It So. Penguin. ISBN 0-14-029854-1.
  6. Lischer, Sarah (2007). "Militarized Refugee Populations: Humanitarian Challenges in the Former Yugoslavia". MIT. Retrieved 11 September 2007.
  7. "War Crimes Verdicts". Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  8. Text of the final judgement (in Croatian)
  9. "Ibrahimu Jušiću sedam godina zatvora". tportal.hr. Retrieved 2023-02-13.
  10. "1994/01/23 19:33 if You Can't Beat Them - Join Them".
  11. Bethlehem, Daniel L.; Weller, Marc (1997). The 'Yugoslav' Crisis in International Law. Cambridge International Documents Series. Vol. 5. Cambridge University Press. p. liiv. ISBN 978-0-521-46304-1.
  12. "Republika Zapadna Bosna: hronologija jedne izdaje". historija.info. 5 August 2017. Archived from the original on 27 August 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2016.
  13. "Covert Operations: Unravelling Serbian Officials' Links To Paramilitaries - Analysis". Eurasiareview. 30 June 2021. p. 4.
  14. Stojanovic, Milica (29 June 2021). "Covert Operations: Unravelling Serbian Officials' Links to Paramilitaries". Balkan Insight. p. 4.
  15. Radan, Peter (2002). The break-up of Yugoslavia and international law. Routledge. p. 192. ISBN 978-0-415-25352-9.)
  16. Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche. "Bosnian war criminal released from Croatian prison | DW | 09.03.2012". DW.COM. Retrieved 2022-08-22.
  17. "Bosnian Warlord Freed From Croatian Jail After Serving War-Crimes Sentence". Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty. 9 March 2012.
  18. "War’s legacy and looming elections shape Bosnia’s response to migrants". www.irishtimes.com. Retrieved 2019-01-24.
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