KOŠARAC: FIRST CONSTITUTION ESTABLISHED REPUBLIKA SRPSKA’S STATEHOOD

SARAJEVO, FEBRUARY 28 /SRNA/ – By enacting the Constitution on February 28 1992, Republika Srpska acquired a key attribute of statehood and laid the foundations of its political and legal existence, Deputy Chairperson of the Council of Ministers Staša Košarac told SRNA.

He emphasized that the Constitution represents the collective aspiration of the Serb people for freedom, as well as the awareness of the political representatives at the time of the importance of the state and its construction as a sacred goal. "The Constitution of Republika Srpska established the institutional backbone of the Republic’s political system, defined a democratic order and equality for all citizens, and clearly showed that without Republika Srpska, the Serb people in BiH cannot survive," Košarac said. He added that adopting the Constitution was a historic choice of legality and legitimacy, founded in peace, before the outbreak of conflicts, giving Republika Srpska a permanent foundation for its existence. "The Constitution was the basis on which Republika Srpska was recognized and acknowledged as a legal and political subject, and was internationally affirmed and verified by the Dayton Agreement," Košarac said. According to him, this confirmed its statehood and the right to independent political organization. "Today, 34 years later, Republika Srpska remains determined to defend its acquired rights and preserve its constitutional order as a guarantee of freedom, democratic development, and national identity," Košarac stated. He stressed that the 1992 Constitution remains a permanent symbol of statehood and the political will of the Serb people, as well as the foundation upon which the future of Republika Srpska is built. The Assembly of the Serb People of BiH adopted the Constitution on February 28 1992, which was unanimously approved on the foundations of the founding Declaration and guaranteed full equality and equal rights of the peoples and citizens. The highest legal act of Republika Srpska, which remains in force today with certain amendments, was adopted before the outbreak of the tragic conflicts and the unilateral declaration of independence by Bosniaks and Croats following the referendum held on March 1, in which Serbs did not participate.