Ministers from Serbia attend as Republika Srpska marks its unconstitutional day

2026-01-09 15:37:26, Kosova & Bota CNA

Republika Srpska, the Serb entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, marked its national day, January 9, with a parade in the streets of Banja Luka on Friday - which Bosnia's Constitutional Court has three times declared unconstitutional and discriminatory against Bosniaks and Croats in the country.

According to amendments to the Bosnian Criminal Code, made in 2023 by the International High Representative in the country, Christian Schmidt, penalties are provided for disobeying the decisions of the country's Constitutional Court.

Anyone involved in organizing the unconstitutional celebration of January 9 as the Day of Republika Srpska can be sentenced to imprisonment from six months to five years, as well as a ban on holding public office. However, no one has been punished so far.

The Bosnian Prosecutor's Office told Radio Free Europe that a case was opened a year ago regarding the previous celebration of Republika Srpska Day and that two prosecutors are working on the case.

The parade on Krajina Square in Banja Luka – where around 800 police officers were deployed – was attended by officials from Serbia alongside those from Republika Srpska.

The event was also attended by approximately 2,000 participants from around thirty civil society organizations from the Bosnian Serb entity and neighboring Serbia.

Among the guests who closely followed the parade were the member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina ?eljka Cvijanovi?, the Prime Minister of Republika Srpska, Savo Mini? with ministers, the acting President of Republika Srpska, Ana Triši?-Babi?, the President of the National Assembly of the entity, Nenad Stevan?i?, as well as several representatives of the entity and the state.

The former president of Republika Srpska, Milorad Dodik, was not absent, along with Rod Blagojevich, the former governor of the state of Illinois.

Unlike previous years, the Russian ambassador to Bosnia, Igor Kalabuhov, did not attend.

Among others, the parade was attended by members of a branch of the Russian biker group "Night Wolves", known for its support for the Kremlin.

In addition to MUP officers, including the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit and police schools, members of various veterans' organizations also marched.

Also on display were "ANSAT" helicopters, which the Republika Srpska Aviation Administration purchased from Russia, as well as "Despot" and "Vihor" armored vehicles.

Earlier, a liturgy was served at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior, led by Serbian Patriarch Porfirije, and the celebration was also attended by several ministers and deputies from Serbia, led by Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic.

The President of Serbia, Aleksandar Vu?i?, sent a congratulatory message on the occasion of "34 years of existence and the struggle to preserve the Serbian name, religion, tradition, customs and identity."

Meanwhile, Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic, among other things, stated that "January 9 is one of the most important dates for the Serbian people."

The authorities of the Republika Srpska entity celebrate January 9, the date when, in 1992, in Sarajevo, the then Assembly of the Bosnian Serb People adopted the Declaration on the Proclamation of the Republic of the Bosnian Serb People as an independent entity within Bosnia.

However, the Constitutional Court of Bosnia has ruled three times that the celebration of January 9 as Republika Srpska Day is unconstitutional.

The goal at that time was for this Bosnian territory to join Yugoslavia, which was disintegrating.

At the head of the self-proclaimed republic were Radovan Karadzic, Bilana Plavsic and Momcilo Krajisnik, who were convicted of war crimes by the Hague Tribunal.

Representatives of Bosniaks and Croats did not participate in the adoption of the declaration.

These two peoples see January 9 as the beginning of the war in Bosnia and Herzegovina, as well as the beginning of ethnic cleansing, war crimes and genocide against the non-Serb population on the territory of Republika Srpska./REL