GRAND PARADE AS HIGHLIGHT OF CELEBRATIONS

BANJA LUKA, JANUARY 5 /SRNA/ – With a ceremonial parade through the streets of Banja Luka, traditionally featuring members of the Ministry of the Interior of Republika Srpska and around 2,000 participants from the civilian sector, Republika Srpska will mark Republika Srpska Day on January 9, the Ministry of Labor and Veterans’ and Disabled Persons’ Protection announced.

As stated, the parade, which year after year brings together institutions and citizens, symbolizes the unity, order, and strength of Republika Srpska, and represents the central event of the celebrations marking its most important holiday. This year, the marking of Republika Srpska Day and the Day of Veterans of the Defensive-Patriotic War will take place through a multi-day program, from January 5 to 10, featuring a series of ceremonial, memorial, and cultural events across Republika Srpska. The program is designed to encompass remembrance and respect for the victims, while also conveying a clear message of continuity and stability. The celebrations begin today with the laying of a wreath in Modriča at the memorial to Milan Jelić, former President of Republika Srpska, scheduled for 12:00 noon. The central program in Banja Luka continues on January 8 with the laying of wreaths at several memorials dedicated to fallen fighters and victims, as well as the opening of the Memorial to the Veterans of the Defensive-Patriotic War at 3:00 p.m. On the same day, a ceremonial academy will be held at 5:00 p.m., followed by a formal reception at the Administrative Center of the Government of Republika Srpska at 6:00 p.m. On Republika Srpska Day, January 9, a Holy Hierarchical Liturgy will be served at the Cathedral of Christ the Savior in Banja Luka, after which wreaths will be laid at the Serbian Military Cemetery Novi Zejtinlik in Sokolac. The ceremonial parade, scheduled for 12:00 noon. at Krajina Square, remains the central event of the day, standing as a strong symbol of institutional strength and civic unity. The program will continue on January 10 in the Brčko District, where wreaths will be laid and a ceremonial academy held at 12:00 noon, underscoring the importance of Republika Srpska for all its citizens, regardless of where they live. With this program, Republika Srpska will again mark Republika Srpska Day in 2026 in a dignified and organized manner, combining remembrance with modernity, tradition with responsibility, and sending a clear message that January 9 is a day of unity, peace, and institutional strength, the Ministry of Labor and Veterans' and Disabled Persons' Protection said.