Cvetković–Maček Agreement

The Cvetković–Maček Agreement (Serbo-Croatian: Sporazum Cvetković-Maček, Споразум Цветковић-Мачек), also known simply as the Sporazum in English-language histories, was a political compromise about internal divisions in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. It was settled on August 26, 1939, by Yugoslav prime minister Dragiša Cvetković (an ethnic Serb) and by Vladko Maček (a Croat politician).

The agreement established the Banovina of Croatia, with boundaries drawn to include as many ethnic Croats as possible. This created within unitary Yugoslavia an autonomous Croatian sub-state, which was a long-standing demand of Croat politicians since the 1918 founding of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (Yugoslavia).

The Banovina later provided a model for eventual post-war constitutional arrangements in Federal Yugoslavia (1943–1945).

Background

Administration in the 1920s & the Croatian Question

Yugoslavia had two main ways of setting up its areas in the 1920s. In 1921, a plan called the Vidovdan Constitution made 33 areas, mostly designed to give more power to ethnic Serbs. This upset many Croats, especially because a big Croatian party, the Croatian Republican Peasant Party, refused to vote for it.

The constitution caused anger, especially when its leader, Stjepan Radić, was shot in parliament in 1928. After this, many Croats lost faith in the constitution and started refusing to take part in government.

From the start, the Croats were worried about how they would fit into Yugoslavia. Some, like Radić, wanted full independence or a loose union of separate nations. Others wanted Croatia to be separate from Serbian control. Radić also believed that parts of Bosnia should be part of Croatia, which caused disagreements with Serbian views.

The Royal Dictatorship of the 1930s

In 1929, King Alexander took control and changed the government system. Instead of 33 areas, he made nine banovinas, named after rivers. Though they seemed neutral, they still favored Serbs, who were the majority in six of the nine.

Many prime ministers came and went during this time, but Milan Stojadinović was in charge the longest, from 1935 to 1939. He strongly supported a central government and did not want to give in to Croatian demands. He lost his position in February 1939 and was replaced by Dragiša Cvetković. Cvetković tried to make a deal with Vladko Maček, the leader of the Croatian regionalist movement.

The Role of the Croats in Government, 1918–1939

Stjepan Radić, leader of the Croatian Peasant Party, first refused to work with the Yugoslav government. He even went to the Soviet Union and supported communist ideas, which upset many Serbs. But later, he changed his mind and decided to work within the system.

After Radić died in 1928, Vladko Maček took over. He tried to work with other groups, forming alliances to challenge the government. In 1938, these alliances won a lot of votes, showing that many people were unhappy with the current government. This led to Stojadinović leaving and Cvetković taking over in 1939.

Agreement

Negotiations

Prime Minister Dragiša Cvetković met with Croat politician Vladko Maček in Zagreb to discuss making things better for Croatia. Cvetković wanted to gain support from the Croat people, and Maček wanted more control for Croatia. They talked from April to August 1939 and finally made an agreement on August 26, 1939.

Terms

The agreement created the Banovina of Croatia, which included many areas where most people were Croatian. Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes were to be treated equally, with equal rights and opportunities. Croatia would handle its own local matters like education and roads, while the national government kept control of important issues like defense and safety.

Outcome

The Banovina of Croatia was about a third of Yugoslavia’s land. It had its own parliament in Zagreb. However, the agreement was not fully carried out because World War II began very soon after it was made.

Reaction

Croatia

Most Croats were happy at first to have their own government. But some groups, including communists, were not satisfied because Croatia was not fully independent. As problems grew with the start of World War II, many Croats became unhappy with the agreement.

Serbia

Many Serbs were angry because large numbers of Serbs now lived under Croatian rule. They felt it was unfair and called for similar autonomy for Serbia. This caused tension between Serbs and Croats.

Rest of Yugoslavia

Bosniaks felt left out because they had no special national area and were split among different regions. Slovenes also felt left out because they did not receive the same special rights as Croats, even though they often stood with them against central authority.