VRHOVAC: JANUARY 9 WILL ALWAYS BE MARKED IN REPUBLIKA SRPSKA

BANJA LUKA, JANUARY 8 /SRNA/ – Dragan Vrhovac, president of the Republika Srpska Association of War Veterans with Disabilities, told SRNA that the Serb people will always mark Republika Srpska Day - January 9, and that no foreign decrees or legal proceedings can prevent this.

Vrhovac said that marking Republika Srpska Day on January 9 is a lasting pledge, as the best Serb fighters gave their lives defending Republika Srpska, while many others became war veterans with disabilities. "Republika Srpska Day must be marked every year and extended to all municipalities and cities across Republika Srpska. No foreign decrees or legal actions can take Republika Srpska Day away from us," Vrhovac said. He added that Republika Srpska continues to mark the holiday with increasing participation and stressed that it should be commemorated in ever greater numbers each year. "The Serb people will never give up marking Republika Srpska Day - January 9," Vrhovac emphasized. January 9 is celebrated as Republika Srpska Day because on that date in 1992 Republika Srpska was established under its original name, the Republic of the Serb People in BiH. Republika Srpska was founded by Serb deputies in the then Assembly of BiH after they were outvoted on key issues concerning the survival of Yugoslavia, while representatives of the other two peoples moved toward secession against the will of the Serbs, who had the status of a constituent people. The name Republic of the Serb People in BiH was used until February 28, 1992, when the first Constitution was proclaimed and the name was changed to the Serb Republic of BiH. That name remained in use until August 12, 1992, when it was replaced by Serb Republic. In September 1992, the entity adopted its current name - Republika Srpska.