CAPÍTULO 2. CAMPO POLÍTICO Y ACTORES DEL FRENTE NACIONAL (1958-1974)
2.3 Las reglas del juego: nacimiento del Frente Nacional
agricultural potential (see below)
Forests are mostly preserved and only occasionally exposed to excessive felling, mainly due to wood-processing activities and infrastructure construction. Forests are an important natural resource of the area. The forests and other natural areas of this region are largely used for hunting (hunting grounds in Bijeljina, Nepricava, Morovic (the latter with military status), in the Croatian county Vukovarsko- Srijemska (rabbits, foxes, deer, pheasant and mallard pheasant)). In the Croatian side, 53 joint hunting areas are rented by domestic hunting associations and hunting societies in a ten-year period lease or concession. Hunting areas are also characterised by the issue of mines, therefore partly inaccessible and with an increasing population of wild animals.
Most of the territory in this region is located at 80-120 meters above the sea level. Parts of the territories of some municipalities are located at higher altitudes (Brčko, Lopare, Ugljevik, and Loznica), reaching near the 700 meters in Šabac (689m mountain Cer).
Several National parks, Nature parks, and other protected areas are located on the territory of this region, such as the special forest reserve “Vukovarske dunavske ade (in Ilok and Lovas) or others.
The region is also rich with geothermal waters (Loznica, Šabac), geothermal energy and excellent mineral water (Bijeljina). Thermal waters exist also in the Croatian part of the region, but they are not properly used for tourism. Spa centres are however developed in Bosnia and Serbia (Banja Dvorovi - Bijeljina and Spa centres Koviljača, Badanja and Radalja in Loznica). Rafting and related activities are performed on Drina River (Loznica). The region has excellent fishing grounds (Bijeljina) with the three artificial lakes (Donji Žabari) as well as many rivers and lakes.
ii. Infrastructure
The region has an excellent geographical position and is easily accessible by all forms of transport (road, rail, water, air transport). National and regional roads (including the two highways: Belgrade - Zagreb and Belgrade - Novi Sad) give to this area good connection with all surrounding municipalities and relevant urban centres. Main railway lines include: Belgrade – Zagreb, Belgrade - Novi Sad, Zagreb - Budapest, Zagreb - Sarajevo, etc. The latter allows connecting these districts with the neighboring regions and Europe.
The region is situated between two important international waterways - Danube and Sava. On one part of the territory, the Sava River is only conditionally navigable (not enough flow in some parts, unmarked channels, etc.). Existing traffic, therefore, depends on seasonal conditions and the water level. The international airports “Nikola Tesla” in Surčin (Belgrade) and airport in Banja Luka are near these important traffic corridors.
Construction, quality of housing and architecture vary significantly within the region. In some parts of the region architecture has been preserved, but many settlements, landscapes, infrastructure and environmental entities were devastated during the war and have only been partially restored. Many old buildings and infrastructure still need reconstruction (particularly in the Croatian part of the region and in Lopare in Bosnia-Herzegovina).
Electricity, water, sewage and other communal systems are not equally developed within the region. In general, electricity and water supply are acceptable, but sewage is poor and covers only the households in urban main centres. Part of the selected region in the Croatian part has a good quality of telecommunications grid. Electricity infrastructure needs to be reconstructed and modernized. The condition of water supply infrastructure is in a bad state (aged – over 30 years old, insufficient capacity, presence of asbestos, etc.) All this causes great
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losses of water and reduction in water pressure. The region, however, has a solid system of channels for drainage and irrigation.
iii. Cultural heritage
Some examples of relevant valuable architecture from the point of view of cultural heritage are present in Brčko (Srpska varoš, church, first post office), Sremska Mitrovica, Šabac and Šid (well preserved buildings and houses from the XIX century). Monuments and landmarks across the region are represented by sacral objects and memorial places from XX century wars. Most important features of local cultural heritage are stećci (grave stones), Sirmium roman fortress in Sremska Mitrovica and long-standing local cultural and social events: “Vukov sabor” in Loznica and Sabac fair (“Šabacki vasar”). There is also a rich musical tradition in the region.
Hotels, motels and other types of
accommodation are available in all
municipalities. “Ethnovillages”31 and sport / recreation touristic complex are present in the area Šabac, Loznica (Koviljaca Spa) and Spa Dvorovi - Bijeljina.
Traditional local food products are wine (Ilok wine, including a wine route), fruit and vegetables (cabbage from Semberia, watermelon, plums, šljivovica (plum brandy) and other fruit brandies, bestilj (plum marmelade), medical herbs), meat products ( cured meat products (“Sremski kulen”), mangulica pig, mangulicas bacon, sausages) and Donkey milk from Zasavica. Traditional handicrafts include: wood industry, embroidery, needlework (Zlatnovez, necanje, beli vez), weaving (Loznica), basket knitting (Brčko).
31 “Ethnovillages” are reconstructed traditional villages/ hamlets with wooden houses/barns, present in many areas of the countries in the region. Very often, original buildings have been transported from different previous locations and concentrated in a new location, for rural tourism purpose.
iv. Economic Capital
The overall regional GDP per capita is most probably situated at a level below the national average in Serbia and Croatia, and above the average in Bosnia Herzegovina. Donji Zabar and Lopare are the only municipalities in BiH of which GDP per capita is below the national Bosnian level. In Serbia, Sremska Mitrovica and Šabac GDP per capita is around 80% of the national average, while in other municipalities, it is lower.
The share of agriculture in GDP is the largest in the municipalities in Serbia, especially in Bogatić and Sid (40%). This percentage in the Croatian territory of VSC is about 20%, and the municipalities of Bosnia and Herzegovina 9-13%. Favourable geographical location on the edge of the Pannonian Plain and flat lands are positive features for the development of agriculture. As a result of the war in the early nineties, the Croatian side of the area has still large land strips contaminated with mines or under the suspicion of being contaminated with mines. The most common crops are cereals (wheat, corn, barley), vegetables (cabbage, watermelon etc.), industrial crops (sugar beet) and fodder crops. Farmers are increasingly turning to the production of vegetables in greenhouses. There is a large unexploited potential (Loznica, Šabac, Bijeljina) to heat the greenhouses with underground geothermal waters. Livestock production is dominated by intensive pig and cattle farming.
Despite the great potential of agriculture, there are certain restrictions to its development. For instance, the organisation of farmers is very weak and cooperatives are missing. Another problem is the underdevelopment and disorganisation of markets with poor logistics/ processing infrastructure (cool stores).
In the last few decades, livestock production has had big fluctuations in volume of production, especially pigs and beef (unstable market conditions, prices, irregular