Statehood Day of Bosnia

Statehood DayOn November 25, 1943, the founding meeting of the State Anti-Fascist People’s Liberation Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina (ZAVNOBIH) as the military parliament of the republic was held in Vartsar Vakuf, Mrkonic Castle. The meeting was attended by 274 delegates from all provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina, 173 of whom were elected members of ZAVNOBIH. Formally, at its first meeting, ZAVNOBIH established itself as the general political representation of the people's liberation movement of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The resolution was adopted and the declaration to the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina that Bosnia and Herzegovina and its peoples can only represent the NAVNOBICH and AVNOU - the Anti-Fascist Assembly of the People's Liberation of Yugoslavia. Thus, the determination of the peoples of Bosnia and Herzegovina was expressed that their republic - neither Serbian, nor Croatian, nor Muslim, but Serbian, Croatian, and Muslim - would be a fraternal alliance in which full equality of all Serbs, Muslims and Croats would be guaranteed. 58 representatives of Bosnia and Herzegovina were also elected at the second meeting of AVNOJ and the Presidium of ZAVNOBIH consisting of 31 people. The chairman of the Presidium was a doctor from Bielina Vojislav Kechmanovich.

The second meeting of AVNOYU took place on November 29 of the same year, where it was decided that the future Yugoslavia - Democratic Federal Yugoslavia - would be built on federal principles, and Bosnia and Herzegovina would become one of six equal republics. These principles, which are so important for today’s Bosnia, were proclaimed on November 25, 1943, so this day was called Statehood Day. Today, however, it is one of the stumbling blocks between the constituent parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska, which prevents the adoption of a national holiday law. It is celebrated only in the Federation, because, in the opinion of Republika Srpska, this day was chosen for Statehood Day for no special reason, and Bosnia and Herzegovina arose much earlier than the first meeting of ZAVNOBIH.