Borovo, Croatia

Geography

The municipality is located on the Danube river, the second longest European river. The municipality has a total area of 28 km² (10.8 sq mi). The territory of the municipality is almost completely flat, very fertile black soil. Borovo is closely related with neighboring Vukovar, to which it is physically connected. It is connected by the D519 highway to the rest of country.

History

Borovo Municipality has been inhabited since the Stone Age. In the younger Iron Age this region was settled by the Celts. During Roman times, several villages and the only crossing over the Danube in the empire existed in this area. Around 1540 Borovo was populated by Serbs who originated from the upper Drina and Polimlje. The Church of St Stephen the Archdeacon was built between 1761 and 1764.

Borovo became an important regional industrial center during the existence of Yugoslavia. In the period between the two world wars, Bata Shoes opened one of their major factories in Borovo. In 1935 Borovo even included and airfield and Yugoslav airliner Aeroput connected the town with regular flights to Belgrade and Zagreb.

After the collapse of Yugoslavia, a large part of the local industry also collapsed. The town have one of the three Serbian radio stations in the region called Radio Borovo.

In 1991, Borovo became the site of the Borovo Selo killings.

Population

Borovo has a population of 5,056, with 89.73% of the population of Serb ethnicity (2011 census).

Serbian Language

Serbian Language and Serbian Cyrillic alphabet is official language in the municipality Borovo along with the Croatian language. According to the municipal Statute, members of Serbian national minority are ensured the freedom of expression of national belonging and freedom to use their language and script in public and private use on whole territory of the Municipality of Borovo. The statute guarantees that Serbian Cyrillic alphabet will be used in the same font as Latin alphabet in text of seals and stamps, on plates of representative, executive and administrative bodies of municipality, as well as on those of legal persons with public authorities. Local councillor, or a citizen have the right to get all materials bilingual and in the same font for and from the sessions of the municipal council. According to the municipal Statute, on the entire territory of the Municipality of same font bilingual signs are used for written traffic signs and other written traffic markings, street and squares names and names of settlement and geographical localities. Equal public use of Serbian language is required on the basis of European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages and relevant national laws.

Multilateral cooperation

Borovo municipality is one of seven member municipalities of Joint Council of Municipalities, inter-municipal sui generis organization of Serbian community in eastern Croatia.

Municipality government

The municipality assembly is composed of 15 representatives. Assembly filled in by members of the electoral lists that win more than 5% of votes. At the local elections 2013 competed following parties:

Economy

Borovo development index is between 50-76% of the Croatian average, and therefore, the municipality is part of the Areas of Special State Concern.

Elementary education

Elementary School in Borovo began with teaching assignments in 1853. In 1936, the new building was officially opened as the State Folk School of Knight King Alexander First Unifier.

At that time, this school was the largest in Vukovar. After World War II the school's name was changed to Božidar Maslarić Elementary School. Following the Erdut Agreement, the school changed its name again in 1997 and is known simply as Elementary School Borovo. In 2006, the school was thoroughly restored by the European Union and funded by the Croatian government.

Associations and Institutions

In the village exist a volunteer fire department Borovo.

Notable natives and residents

Twin municipalities – Sister municipalities

Other forms of cooperation