The Island of Vukovar is a disputed island on the riverDanube. It is situated close to the city of Vukovar, Croatia. During the existence of SFR Yugoslaviathe island was part of SR Croatia. In 1991 Croatia declared independence. It was the opinion of the Badinter Arbitration Committee that the borders between the republics should become the borders between the countries, but it was under Serbian control like other parts of Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem at the time. In the Croatian War of Independence, the Yugoslav People's Army and Serbian paramilitary forces occupied the island. After the Erdut Agreement in 1998, Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Srem were rejoined with Croatia, but the island of Vukovar was left under Serbian military occupation, as was the Šarengrad island. In 2004 Serbia largely withdrew its army from the island, but the police completely took over border control in 2006. In 2006, the island's beaches were opened to the publicfor the first time since the war. The island is maintained by Vukovar's Sports Recreation Society Dunav. Croatian citizens, for the first time in 16 years, were allowed on the island without passports or border permits. This border regime applies during summer months between 7 am and 8 pm. One part of the peace agreements has been the short-term deal that Croatia will control the western part and Serbia eastern part of the Danube. The official Serbian position is that the Badinter Arbitration Committee opinion is invalid and that this short-term deal between Croatia and Serbia is to be the future border between the states thus Vukovar island is part of Serbia as it is closer to the Serbian shoreline. In a statement to the Croatian daily newspaper Novi list in February 2012, Croatia's then-President, Ivo Josipović, said both countries needed a flexible solution for the border disputes on the Danube river which would be a combination of solutions proposed by both countries. The Croatian president said that whatever the adopted solution, it would be good if the Island of Vukovar eventually remained on the Croatian side of border.
