Brčko District

Brčko District (), officially the Brčko District of Bosnia and Herzegovina (), is a self-governing administrative unit in north-eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Officially a condominium of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, it was formed in 1999 to reflect the multi-ethnic nature of Brčko and the surrounding areas and their special status within the newly independent Bosnia and Herzegovina. In practice, it functions as a local self-government area, much like the other municipalities in the country. The seat of the district is the city of Brčko.

History

The Brčko District was established after an arbitration process undertaken by the High Representative for Bosnia and Herzegovina. According to the Dayton Peace Accords, however, the process could only arbitrate the disputed portion of the Inter-Entity Boundary Line (IEBL).Dayton Agreement, Annex 2, Article V The Brčko District was formed of the entire territory of the former Brčko municipality, of which 48% (including Brčko city) was in the newly formed Republika Srpska, while 52% was in the old Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Brčko was the only element in the Dayton Peace Agreement that was not finalized at the time. The arbitration agreement was later finalized in March 1999, resulting in a "district" that was to be administrated by an American Brčko International Supervisor. Since 2006, Principal Deputy High Representative has taken over the Brcko supervisor role.

In the 1990s, the Arizona Market was created at the intersection of the IFOR north-south "Arizona" road and the east–west Posavina Corridor roads, bordering today's district, and became a commercial success.

The first Brčko International Supervisor arrived in April 1997. Up to that time, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) had a modest office headed by Randolph Hampton. During the interim time before the District of Brčko could be represented post-arbitration agreement, local elections were held, and humanitarian relief was provided with cooperation from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and ECHO. The District became known as a center for different state-building programs run by foreign governments, particularly the United States.

In 2006, under the Supervisory Order, all "Entity legislation in Brčko District and the IEBL" was abolished. The ruling made by the Brčko Supervisor Susan Johnson abolished all Entity Laws in the District, as well as the Entity Border Line. The ruling made the Laws of the District paramount within the District, and the Laws of the State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, both Federation and Serb Republic, including the laws of the former Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina ceased to have legal effect there.

Following a Peace Implementation Council (PIC) meeting on 23 May 2012, it was decided to suspend, not terminate, the mandate of the Brčko International Supervisor. The Brčko Arbitral Tribunal, together with the suspended Brčko Supervision, continues to exist. Also in 2012, the legislature of Bosnia and Herzegovina passed a law that required citizens to declare which entity (Federation or Republika Srpska) they belonged to before they could vote in national elections. This was problematic in Brčko District as many people did not wish to belong to either.

The government of Republika Srpska resumed operation in the district in 2012. Despite actions of the government of Republika Srpska, change of the autonomous status of Brčko District would require a change in the constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina, an event unlikely to occur.

Settlements

Bijela Boće Boderište Brčko Brezik Brezovo Polje Brka Brod Bukovac Bukvik Donji Bukvik Gornji Buzekara Cerik Čađavac Čande Čoseta Donji Rahić Donji Zovik Dubrave Dubravice Donje Dubravice Gornje Gajevi Gorice Gornji Rahić Gornji Zovik Grbavica Gredice Islamovac Krbeta Ivici Krepšić Laništa Lukavac Maoča Marković Polje Ograđenovac Omerbegovača Palanka Popovo Polje Potočari Rašljani Ražljevo Repino Brdo Sandići Skakava Donja Skakava Gornja Slijepčevići Stanovi Šatorovići Štrepci Trnjaci Ulice Ulović Vitanovići Donji Vitanovići Gornji Vučilovac Vujičići Vukšić Donji Vukšić Gornji

Demographics

Brčko District comprises 1% of the land area of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and is home to 2.37% of the country's total population.

Population

Population of settlements – Brčko DistrictSettlement2013.1991.1981.1971.1961.1953.1948.Total83,51687,62782,76874,77162,95265,07849,9691Bijela1,9232,5392Boće1,2701,2533Boderište6619654Brčko39,89341,40631,43725,33717,9495Brezik6014136Brezovo Polje1,2921,3937Brezovo Polje Selo2513358Brka2,2342,0449Brod1,2861,04210Bukovac10436411Bukvik Donji9721212Bukvik Gornji12137813Buzekara26843014Cerik23328015Čađavac727416Čande32137717Čoseta73250718Donji Rahić36664719Donji Zovik49448120Dubrave1,4631,33821Dubravice Donje31539622Dubravice Gornje16131923Gajevi10319624Gorice6541,09725Gornji Rahić3,4032,16726Gornji Zovik1,4081,56927Grbavica1,52755728Gredice1,10930329Islamovac6410530Krbeta17524431Krepšić6961,15632Laništa45065633Lukavac5222534Maoča3,0302,88635Marković Polje37047036Ograđenovac81573437Omerbegovača1,07489538Palanka1,4391,39439Popovo Polje15524840Potočari1,06389341Rašljani1,0781,15542Ražljevo23334143Repino Brdo24724644Sandići43042045Skakava Donja2,0372,27246Skakava Gornja1,3521,73747Slijepčevići29837148Stanovi23835349Šatorovići1,4721,23850Štrepci71286151Trnjaci24531352Ulice8921,26653Ulovići75291254Vitanovići Donji39641955Vitanovići Gornji15928656Vučilovac25470057Vujičić4528458Vukšić Donji35264459Vukšić Gornji579821

Ethnic groups

The ethnic composition of Brčko District:

Ethnic group 1961 census 1971 census 1981 census 1991 census 2013 censusNumber%Number%Number%Number%Number%Bosniaks16,48426.19%30,18140.36%32,434 39.19%38,617 44.07%35,381 42.36%Serbs17,89728.43%17,70923.68%16,707 20.19%18,128 20.69%28,884 34.58%Croats21,99434.94%24,92533.34%23,975 28.97%22,252 25.39%17,252 20.66%Yugoslavs5,9049.38%1,0861.45%8,342 10.08%5,731 6.54%Others6731.07%8701.16%1,310 1.58%2,899 3.31%1,999 2.39%Total62,95274,77182,76887,62783,516

1961 census

1971 census

1981 census

1991 census

2013 census

Politics

Assembly of Brčko District

There are 31 seats in the Assembly of the Brčko District. The seats are divided as follows as of 2024:

CouncilMayorelected by CouncilParty Popular vote % SeatsMayor Votes %Party of Democratic Action5,73516.165 SNSD—SPS5,62615.855SP—DNS—PUP3,3269.373United Srpska3,1868.983Croatian Democratic Union2,8347.982Party of Democratic Progress2,2196.252Union for a Better Future2,1786.142People and Justice2,1125.952Social Democratic Party1,9295.431Our Party1,9255.421Serb Democratic Party1,6874.751Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina1,3293.741Croatian Democratic Union 19901,0883.071Minority candidate Alija Denjagić(273)-1Minority candidate Radoslav Subotić(149)-1 Total37,17331

Notable people

Edo Maajka (born Edin Osmić), rapper Edvin Kanka Ćudić, human rights activist Esed Kadrić, Mayor of Brčko Lepa Brena (born Fahreta Jahić), pop-folk singer Mladen Petrić, Croatian international football player NiKo, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive player Vesna Pisarović, pop singer

Brčko District

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