Markušica
Markušica (, , ) is a village and a municipality in Vukovar-Syrmia County in eastern Croatia. Markušica is located south of the river Vuka and northwest of the town of Vinkovci. Landscape of the Markušica Municipality is marked by the Pannonian Basin plains and agricultural fields of corn, wheat, common sunflower and sugar beet. The modern day municipality was established in 1997 by the UNTAES administration as one of new predominantly Serb municipalities in order to ensure access to local self-government to Serb community in the region. Alongside Markušica it includes villages of Gaboš, Karadžićevo, Ostrovo and Podrinje. Before the United Nations administrator implemented anty-gerrymandering reorganization, Markušica and Podrinje were a part of the Tordinci Municipality, while Karadžićevo, Ostrvo and Gaboš were linked to Jarmina Municipality making Serb community minority in both of them. Markušica Municipality is connected with the surrounding area via D518 road and L209 Vinkovci–Gaboš–Osijek railway with local stations in Gaboš and Ostrovo. Geography The municipality has a total area of . River Vuka flows through the municipality and territory of the municipality is completely flat very fertile black soil. It is connected by D518 highway with rest of country. History One Scordisci archaeological site in Markušica dating back to late La Tène culture was excavated in the 1970s and 1980s as a part of rescue excavations in eastern Croatia. Archaeological site was a part of the settlement network of Scordisci in the area of Vinkovci. Markušica was one of the feudal villages that existed in the region before the Ottoman rule in Hungary. After the end of Great Turkish War village was settled by Eastern Orthodox Vlachs from surrounding areas and the eastern Bosnia. In 1736 there was 40 inhabited houses in Markušica. In 1866 this number increased at 192 houses and 1003 inhabitants out of which 902 were Eastern Orthodox. The modern day Municipality of Markušica was established by the decision of the United States diplomat and at the time Transitional Administrator for Eastern Slavonia, Baranja and Western Sirmium Jacques Paul Klein. As the region was directly governed as an UN protectorate Transitional Administrator was the highest authority responsible for administrative affairs. Markušica Municipality was established as one of new predominantly Serb municipalities in order to ensure access to local self-government to Serb community in the region. Prior to the decision international community expressed concerns over the perceived gerrymandering, disenfranchisement of refugees and minority representation. Demographics Population There are 2 555 inhabitants, the majority of the population which are Serbs, who make up 90.10% of the population according to the 2011 population census. Languages Due to the local minority population, the Markušica municipality prescribe the use of not only Croatian as the official language, but the Serbian language and Serbian Cyrillic alphabet as well. Religion Most of the population are Serbian Orthodox that are practicing their religion in the church that was built in 1810 and re-built in 1989. Politics Joint Council of Municipalities The Municipality of Markušica is one of seven Serb majority member