Balkan tensions placed away after Croatia's deadly earthquake

The region fell into war in the early 1990s, after the break-up of Yugoslavia sparked calls for independence from ethnic teams, including Croats.

Saturday, 2nd January 2021

The region fell into war in the early 1990s, after the break-up of Yugoslavia sparked calls for independence from ethnic teams, including Croats. The Serb-dominated Yugoslav army tried to put down the uprising. Hundreds of thousands were removed or killed in the subsequent war, paused following a ceasefire in 1992.

But volunteers and activists have told media that the tensions between these two countries have been put aside in the aftermath of Croatia's earthquake.

"It is like after hard-drinking night: people in the field are coming to their senses about the misfortune that hit 'the other one'," said Corovic

Croatia became entangled in a war in Bosnia, who had become the latest former constituent of Yugoslavia to try for independence. The 1992-1995 conflict in Bosnia saw around 100,000 people killed and Europe's first genocide since World War II.

The epicentre of Croatia's slip-on Tuesday was in Petrinja, which sits between the capital Zagreb and the border with Bosnia.

Petrinja was deeply affected by the war. During the conflict, it was under the control of Serbian rebels who met Croatia's independence.

Croatian militiamen assigned to hunt down and destroy tanks keep watch in the village of Petrinja, about 31 miles (50 kilometres) from Zagreb on Thursday, Sept. 5, 1991.

But the town's ethnic Serb majority were sent out at the climax of the war in 1995. They were among 250,000 Serbs displaced during Operation Storm, still one of the main bones of Croats and Serbs' contention.

Petrinja's wider region has even more historical baggage. During World War II, Nazi Germany puppet state, the Independent Croatian State, it saw numerous atrocities against ethnic Serbs.

Even today, Belgrade and Zagreb are far from agreement. Several times a year, there are disputes or exchanges of inflammatory language.

"The people in power in ex-Yugoslav governments are coming to their senses, despite the populist narrative from their political elite."

"On the basic level, it is important that people do not lose their sense of solidarity, since we share [the] same cultural 'space'. The divisions are political, but when things are hard, a function of self-preservation and self-organizing awaken." stated people.