Original scientific paper
The Department of the Banal Government of Autonomous Banovina Croatia in Split 1939–1941
Tonko Barčot
Abstract
The Cvetković-Maček Agreement was a basis for the creation of Autonomous Banovina Croatia by uniting Banovina Savska and Banovina Primorska and annexation of districts ("kotar") with a Croatian majority, which were then within the scope of other banovinas. This resulted in liquidation of governmental bodies of the two banovinas, i. e. the Royal Banal Government of Banovina Savska and Primorska respectively. A new government on newly formed territory – The Banal Government was not a mere copy or sumup of authorities and affairs within the scope of the dissolved banal governments. It was truly an autonomous body (in terms of finance likewise), primarily in its relation towards supreme authorities, but also in terms of general elements in its relation towards the king, i. e. the regency. Thus, it can be justly referred to as "a state within the state", although a single remark has to be made – the governmental organisation was never rounded up (the Croatian Parliament, as a legislative body, was never called into session), and it had more provisional character since the laws and regulations were never enacted in the National Parliament. Concurrently with the establishment of the Banal Government, in September 1939, the Department of the Banal Government in Split was formed for the territory of former Banovina Primorska and Kotars of Dubrovnik, Travnik and Fojnica, as a successor of dissolved Royal Banal Government of Banovina Primorska. It was envisaged as a transitional solution towards a county type of organisation on the territory of Autonomous Banovina Croatia. The Department temporarily took over all affairs that were under the competence of its predecessor, but these were not applied in practise. At the end of 1939 and first half of 1940, which was extremely hectic period for the Department, this institution bureaucratically carried out all demands made by the Banal Government, without any hint of (envisaged) autonomy. Since a county organisation system was not established after all, the Banal Government was forced to deal with the issue of the Department and set appropriate legislative framework. According to The Order on Jurisdiction and Internal Organisation, the Department was regulated as an authority of the second instance in Autonomous Banovina Croatia, taking over affairs (except financial ones) from the former banal government. The head of the Department was commissioner – an official who controlled the whole administration of the Department. He was also in charge of all administrative bodies and selfgovernment units under his competence, and he was accountable to ban. Deputycommissioner filled in, in case the commissioner was prevented. Under The Regulation on Division of Competence between Individual Sections and Subsections from December 1940, the jurisdiction of the Department was divided into section, subsections and executive officers. In addition to the Secretariat, seven other sections were established – section for home affairs; rural economy, veterinary and forestry; crafts, industry and trade; technical works; welfare policy and public health; and for accounting. The existing financial section was dissolved, thereby putting an end to financial independence of this institution. Permanent Advisory Food Committee at the Department was also formed. It was an important advisory body that managed food distribution in sensitive pre-war years. Still, all these administrative regulations did not contribute much to necessary change of situation. The Banal Government continued to ignore the Department when making important decisions, thus violating its autonomy. Almost all decision-makers considered the Department as a superfluous body, and political elite in Dubrovnik and Šibenik called for its abrogation and establishment of designed county organisation. Only minor Yugoslav nationalist groups in Dalmatia argued in favour of its existence and implementation of autonomy. At the beginning of 1941, the Kingdom of Yugoslavia was attacked and occupied by the Tripartite Pact forces. The Ustaša Committee of the State of Croatia, as a representative of transitory Ustaša government in Split, took over all affairs under the competence of the Department, thus denoting a formal end of this institution.
Keywords
Department of the Banal Government; Split; Dalmatia; Banovina Croatia; 1939–1941
Hrčak ID:
11901
URI
Publication date:
5.9.2006.
Visits: 8.119 *