Given Dubrovnik’s complicated history, how can we understand the Dubrovnik Republic? This short-lived proto-state emerged during the tumultuous Croatian War of Independence. It offers a glimpse into the ambitions and conflicts that shaped this region.
The Dubrovnik Republic, or Dubrovačka Republika in Serbian, was a self-proclaimed entity. It existed briefly from 1991 to 1992. The Yugoslav People’s Army, or JNA, established it in occupied areas of Croatia. The republic’s emergence is closely tied to the Siege of Dubrovnik.
Let’s rewind to October 15, 1991. The JNA, having captured territory, declared this new republic. Aleksandar Aco Apolonio became its provisional president. The aim was to create a Serb proto-state.
However, this new entity didn’t encompass the borders of the old Republic of Ragusa. Its territory was limited to occupied villages like Cavtat and Konavle. The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, or ICTY, later examined these events. They found that Slobodan Milošević sought to incorporate the Dubrovnik region into a Serb-dominated state. The JNA’s campaign was aimed at securing territory for this purpose.
Vojislav Šešelj, a Serbian nationalist leader, openly supported this vision. He envisioned a state including Serbia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Republic of Serbian Krajina, and the Dubrovnik Republic. While the JNA assisted in its creation, the Serb government never officially endorsed the Dubrovnik Republic.
Yet, Serbian leaders desired Dubrovnik’s incorporation into a pan-Serb state. This desire is documented in Borisav Jović’s diary. Intercepted communications within Milošević’s inner circle also revealed this ambition. The Adriatic border of this pan-Serb state would be set at Ploče.
During the Siege of Dubrovnik, plans existed to annex Dubrovnik and the coastal regions between Neum and the Montenegrin border into Montenegro. Ploče was intended to become part of Serb-controlled areas of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Radovan Karadžić, the Bosnian Serb leader, was involved in these plans.
In October 1991, Karadžić stated that Dubrovnik should be saved for Yugoslavia and become a republic. He also claimed that Dubrovnik was never Croatian. Gojko Đogo suggested that the territory around Dubrovnik needed ethnic cleansing.
The Siege of Dubrovnik brought violence and destruction. Serbian and Montenegrin forces rampaged through the region. Villages were plundered. Homes were set alight. The Croat population largely fled. Civilians died and thousands became refugees.
Although a ceasefire was agreed to in January 1992, the JNA continued to occupy areas south of Ston. In May 1992, the JNA officially withdrew. The Dubrovnik Republic dissolved. The Bosnian Serb unit became the Herzegovinian Corps. Fighting continued between this unit and Croatian forces until October 23, 1992.
The story of the Dubrovnik Republic is a complicated one. It reflects the turbulent history of the region. It shows the desire for power. It underscores the tragic consequences of war.