| Date |
Peacetime Events |
| During April 1990 |
The Croatian Democratic Union won a 2/3 parliamentary majority in the first Croatian multi party elections. The Serbian Democratic Party won the majority in towns such as: Benkovac, Korenica, Knin and others.[1] |
| During May 1990 |
The Croatian government began to "fire Serbs from jobs in the Croatian police, state bureaucracy, and state-owned companies". In addition, "Serbs were alarmed by the reintroduction of historic Croatian symbols and insignia that had also been used by the Ustaše". Consequently, Tudjman tended to rule in an authoritarian way and "refused to condemn the former Ustaše state and its crimes". As a result many Serbs in Croatia became convinced that the HDZ sought to restore the Ustaše regime.[2][unreliable source?] |
| On July 25, 1990 |
The Serbian Democratic Party created the Serbian National Council. The Declaration of Autonomy of the Serbs in Croatia was proclaimed, and the decision was made to conduct a referendum on the autonomy of the Serbs in Croatia on August 19, 1990 on which 97.7% people from voting in favour of Serb autonomy in Croatia.[3]imir]] |
| On July 31 1990 |
Milan Babić became President of the Serbian National Council.[4] |
| On August 17, 1990 |
In Benkovac, the Police of the Republic of Croatia prevented the Serbian direct vote of separation citing which has been against SFRY laws (the country was still part of Yugoslavia). The Serbs raised barricades in incident known as the Log Revolution. The revolt is explained by the Serbs with words that they are "terrorized [by Croatian government] and [fight for] more cultural, language and education rights". Serbian newspaper "Večernje Novosti" writes that "2.000.000 Serbs [are] ready to go to Croatia to fight". On the other side the Western diplomats are saying that The Serbian media is enflaming passions and Croatian government is saying "We knew about the scenario to create confusion in Croatia..."[5] |
| On October, 1990 |
Croatian Serbs declare their autonomy on vaguely worded referendum on Serbian autonomy conducted throughout Yugoslavia. Croatia's government has repeatedly said that the Serbs' referendum is illegal [6] |
| On December 21 1990 |
In Knin, the Serbian Autonomous Region of Krajina was proclaimed by municipalities in the regions of Northern Dalmatia and Lika, in south-western Croatia.[7] |
| During December 1990 |
Milan Babic became the President of the Temporary Executive Council of the SAO Krajina.[8] |
| On December 22 1990 |
The Croatian constitution was amended to define Croatia as a "national state of the Croatian nation and a state of members of other nations or minorities who are citizens.[9] |
| In January of 1991, |
The SAO Krajina established the "Regional Secretariat for Internal Affairs" in Knin, and Milan Martić was appointed Secretary of Internal Affairs. The government of Croatia was informed that the Croatian police would no longer be considered as having authority within SAO Krajina.[10] |
|
| Date |
Wartime Events |
| *On 22 February 1991 |
"Armed Serbs in Pakrac took control of the police station and disarmed 16 Croatian policemen".[11] |
| *On March 1st |
Pakrac police station was regained by the Croatian police because of a counter attack.[12].[13]. The first shots of the Yugoslav wars were fired in Pakrac on this day.[14] |
| *End of March 1991 |
Armed Serbs took control of the Plitvice Lakes. In retaliation, on April 1st Croatia has send police forces to retake lakes, but they have fallen in Serbs ambush and Josip Jović young Croatian policemen of Serbs origins has become first war victim. After 15 minutes of gunfire Serbs forces has been defeated. [15] |
| *In April 1991 |
Serbs in Republic of Serbian Krajina declared independence from Croatia.[16] |
| *During April, |
Future Croatian defense minister Gojko Šušak organized and participated in firing three shoulder-launched Armbrust missiles into Borovo Selo in an attempt to fan the flames of the war.[17] |
| *On May 1st 1991 |
Four Croatian policemen entered Borovo Selo and tried to replace the Yugoslav flag in the village with a Croatian one. The police were killed or taken hostage by the local Serbs and later mutilated by having their eyes and ears cut.[18] |
| *On May 2nd 1991 |
A bus load of Croatian policemen (150) seeking to reassert control ran headlong into an ambush, leaving 15 dead (12 Croats and 3 Serbs) and over 20 wounded.[19] |
| *During September and October 1991 |
Houses belonging to Croats were torched in Hrvatska Dubica and the neighbouring village of Cerovljani, and widespread looting was committed by the TO, the Milicija Krajine, the JNA as well as by local Serbs. Local Croats were detained and subjected to mistreatment and were also used as live shields by the Serb forces. Serbs moved into the houses which the fleeing Croats had left.[citation needed] |
| *On 8th, October 1991 |
Croatia declared independence from Yugoslavia. |
| *On the 16th and 18th of October 1991 |
Alleged Croat individuals killed 24 Serb residents of Gospić. The incident became known as the "Gospić massacre".[20][21] |
| *On the 20th of October 1991 |
40 local civilians, almost exclusively Croat, were killed.[22] |
| *On February 21, 1992 |
In New York, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution No. 743, which marked the beginning of the UN (UNPROFOR) mandate in the region. |
| *On June 19/20, 1993 |
A direct vote in the Republic of Serb Krajina was conducted. The results of which showed an overwhelming desire to secede from Croatia. For example, with a 98.6% turnout 93.8% of the total number of voters voted for the independent Republic of Serb Krajina and its unification with the Serb Republic and other Serbian states. |
| *On the 21st of January, 1994 |
Milan Martić stated that he would "speed up the process of unification" and "pass on the baton to our all-Serbian leader Slobodan Milošević".[23] |
| *On March 31, 1994 |
An agreement was signed in Zagreb between the Serb rebels and the Republic of Croatia on a cease-fire at the line of contact of the Krajina and the Croatian forces. The agreement came into effect on April 4, 1994. |
| *On August 4, 1995 |
Operation Storm was launched. Most of the Serbs of western Slavonija, Banija, Kordun, eastern Lika and northern Dalmatian hinterland fled those areas as they came under Croatian military control. |
