The 1962 Land Restitution Commission Act was a critical piece of post-conflict legislation passed by the Assembly of the Republic following the Treaty of Brod Moravice.
Proposed by Blue Dawn leader Leon Rukavin, the Act established a federal judicial body—the Land Restitution Commission—tasked with reviewing property claims made by ethnic Bosken citizens who had been displaced or had their land seized during the “Iron Era” crackdowns of the 1950s.
The legislation was intended to heal the wounds of the insurgency and integrate the Bosken population into the legal framework of the Republic. However, it became a lightning rod for violence. Kresimirian nationalists viewed it as a betrayal of settlers in the south, while the terrorist group AFIM viewed the Commission as a tool of colonial administration, leading directly to the 1964 AFIM Kidnappings.
Background
Between 1921 and 1961, the Kresimirian state frequently seized land in District X for “security purposes.” Under Chancellor Kresimirovic II, entire Bosken villages were evicted to create buffer zones near the border, and the land was often redistributed to loyal Kresimirian civil servants or military veterans.
During the secret negotiations for the 1961 Treaty, Nadja Vrasch of the BLF made land return a non-negotiable condition for peace. Rukavin agreed, but insisted the process be handled by Kresimirian judges to maintain state sovereignty.
The Legislation
The Act created a commission composed of five judges appointed by the Superior Tribunal.
- Mandate: To review claims of illegal seizure dating back to 1945.
- Compensation: The state would either return the land or, if it was now occupied by critical infrastructure (like Republic Rail lines), provide financial compensation.
- Enforcement: Rulings were binding and enforced by the Civil Order Force.
Parliamentary Passage
The act passed 12–8, mirroring the vote for the Treaty itself.
- Support: Rukavin managed to hold the moderate wing of Blue Dawn. The Civic Renewal Front (CRF) supported it as a matter of property rights. The newly seated BLF senators voted in favor, marking their first major legislative act.
- Opposition: The Sons of Kresimir and Vjetrusa voted against. Davor Banit (SoK) famously spat on the floor of the Assembly during the debate, calling the Act “reparations for terrorists.”
| Senator | Vote |
|---|---|
| Vladi Korunic (BD) | For |
| Ante Brov (BD) | For |
| Adam Corak (CRF) | For |
| Vanja Zulim (BD) | Against |
| Sonja Tolik (CRF) | For |
| Tihomir Bran (SoK) | Against |
| Pavel Iric (BPP) | For |
| Neda Jovan (SoK) | Against |
| Nika Radman (BD) | Against |
| Marko Cabraja (CRF) | For |
| Leon Rukavin (BD) | For |
| Dominik Loncar (VJ) | Against |
| Davor Banit (SoK) | Against |
| Tamara Velar (BD) | For |
| Sonja Duval (CRF) | For |
| Dragan Senar (VJ) | Against |
| Stojana Czyhlarz (BD) | Against |
| Ivic Davor Kovrekovic (BD) | For |
| Nadja Vrasch (BLF) | For |
| Lutz Diekwisch (BLF) | For |
Aftermath and Violence
The Commission began work in Sprodvice in late 1962. It moved slowly, bogged down by bureaucratic obstruction from the CIA, which often refused to release land deeds.
The Commission became a primary target for Jochen Schoff and AFIM. Schoff argued that by petitioning a Kresimirian court for their own land, Boskens were recognizing the legitimacy of the “Occupation.” This culminated in February 1964, when AFIM kidnapped Judge Valerijan Kovac, the head of the Commission, in an attempt to halt its operations.
Despite the violence, the Commission continued to operate until 1975, returning approximately 15% of the disputed land to its original owners.