Independence Day of Bosnia

Flag of BosniaOn March 1, 1992, a referendum was held in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in which the citizens of the republic voted for its independence and sovereignty and secession from the former Yugoslavia. The referendum was attended by 63% of voters in 107 of the 109 communities of BiH. Voting did not take place in Titow Drvar and Bosanski Grahove.

After the referendum, which was opposed by the Bosnian Serbs, mainly supporters of the Serbian Democratic Party, armed clashes broke out in Bosnia, which in the West and the BiH Federation as part of BiH are considered as aggression by the former Yugoslav People’s Army and units of the Serbian People’s Militia. The civil war ended in 1995 with the signing of the Dayton Accords.

This holiday today - Independence Day - one of the stumbling blocks between the constituent parts of BiH - the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska - does not allow to adopt a law on holidays at the national level.

It is celebrated only in the Federation, while Republika Srpska understandably opposes such wording, having a completely different view of the events of 1992 than the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina.