Republika Srpska Day (Serbian). Dan Republika Srpska) — is the main national holiday in the country, which is celebrated annually on January 9.
On January 9, 1992, the Republika Srpska of Bosnia and Herzegovina (RSBiH) was proclaimed. On February 28 of the same year, the Constitution of the RSBiH was adopted. According to the Constitution, Serbian autonomous regions, communities and other ethnic Serbian lands in Bosnia and Herzegovina were declared the territory of the republic. At the same time, the RSBiH was declared part of the Yugoslav federal state.
After Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence from Yugoslavia on April 5, 1992, the RSBiH announced its separation from Bosnia and Herzegovina on April 7, 1992 and that it remained part of Yugoslavia. Since August 12, 1992, the republic began to be called simply Republika Srpska.
In 1995, it was planned to unite the RS and the Republic of Serbian Krajina that existed at that time on the territory of Croatia into a single state — of the West Serbian Federation or the State of Western Serbia, which did not take place due to international pressure.
Under the Dayton Peace Accords of 1995, Republika Srpska retained its name, losing part of the Serb-controlled territory at that time. Today, the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina — the result of the Dayton Agreements — is divided in relation to 51:49 between the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska. The de jure capital of the RS is Sarajevo, de facto — Banja Luka.
The resolution of the Republika Srpska parliament adopted on February 22, 2008 states that Bosnian Serbs can secede from Bosnia and Herzegovina if the majority of UN member countries and EU states recognize the independence of Kosovo. And on December 11, 2012, both of these conditions were met, Kosovo’s independence was recognized by 97 of the 193 UN member states and 22 of the 27 EU member states.
The date January 9 itself is today a public holiday — Republic Day in the Republika Srpska — and a day off. The leadership of the Republic congratulates all residents on this holiday, and various festive events are held throughout the country on this day: concerts, competitions, processions, rallies, etc.