Prevlaka

The cape Oštro on Prevlaka Peninsula

Prevlaka (pronounced [prɛ̂ʋlaka]) is a small peninsula in southern Croatia, near the border with Montenegro, at the entrance to the Bay of Kotor in the eastern Adriatic. The word prevlaka means portage. The cape Oštro, located at the tip of the peninsula, is the southernmost point of mainland in Croatia.

The peninsula was once subject to a dispute. Following the Croatian War of Independence, Croatia and FR Yugoslavia, which included Montenegro at the time, argued over the ownership of Prevlaka. This is mainly because of the strategic position and the proximity of a major naval base within the Bay of Kotor.^[1]

History

Prevlaka Fortress at the Bay of Kotor entrance

The peninsula was a part of the Dubrovnik Republic from the 15th century, who fortified Cape Oštro (the southernmost land point of the area in 1441.^[1] During the course of history, the peninsula switched between the Republic of Dubrovnik, to the French and to the Austrian kingdom of Dalmatia upon the 1815 Vienna Congress, until it became a part of Yugoslavia in 1918. During World War II, the region was controlled between Italy and Germany until the end of the war, where it was incorporated into the SR Croatia.^[1]

Vicinity of Prevlaka peninsula

During the Yugoslav wars that followed the breakup of Yugoslavia, the territory was occupied by Yugoslav forces like most of the Dubrovnik region during the siege of Dubrovnik. At one point, the Croatian military gained temporary control over Prevlaka, before it was retaken. The two sides agreed on the demilitarization of the peninsula and the United Nations Security Council Resolution 779 of the October 6, 1992 extended the mandate of UNPROFOR to the implementation of this agreement, together with the European Community Monitoring Mission.^[2] A resolution to the conflict took shape in 1996 when the United Nations mediated the conflict and established an observer mission (UNMOP) which oversaw the demilitarization and acted as a buffer.^[2]

The mission ended in December 2002 and the territory that had previously been part of SR Croatia was returned to the Republic of Croatia. An agreement was signed by both sides five days before the departure of the UNMOP that demilitarized Prevlaka and effectively made it a neutral territory, though implementation is still incomplete. It is in the process of resolution, following negotiations between Croatia and Montenegro. The two parties have agreed to refer the case to the International Court of Justice.^[3]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} The maritime boundaries of the Adriatic Sea By Gerald Henry Blake, Duško Topalović, Clive H. Schofield
2. ^ ^{a b} United States Participation in the United Nations
3. ^ B92 - News - Region - Đukanović: Montenegro owes Croatia nothing

External links

• Yugoslavia and Croatia sign the protocol on Prevlaka
• Prevlaka Park

Coordinates: 42°23′57″N 18°31′04″E / 42.39917°N 18.51778°E / 42.39917; 18.51778

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