JANUARY 9 - POWERFUL SYMBOL OF SERB PEOPLE'S FREEDOM

BELGRADE, JANUARY 9 /SRNA/ – Serbian Minister of Culture Nikola Selaković congratulated the citizens of Republika Srpska on January 9 - Republika Srpska Day, sending a message that the date represents a powerful symbol of freedom and the commitment of the Serb people on both sides of the Drina River to live in peace and unity.

"I congratulate the citizens of Republika Srpska on January 9 - Republika Srpska Day, with strong belief that in the time ahead we will even more strongly preserve the unity, freedom, and dignity of the Serb people, to the pride of our ancestors and out of responsibility to future generations," Selaković told SRNA. He assessed that, at a time of profound global turbulence and intensified political pressures and challenges facing the Serb people, January 9 stands as a powerful symbol of freedom, as well as the right to identity and the historical determination of the Serb people on both sides of the Drina to live in peace, unity, and solidarity. "Precisely today, more than ever, it is necessary to preserve unity and wisdom, as they are the guarantee of stability and peace, not only for the Serb people but for the region as a whole," Selaković said. He noted that Serbia, in line with the Dayton Accords and international law, will continue to strongly support Republika Srpska and advance cooperation in all areas of strategic importance - from politics and the economy to culture, education, and the preservation of national identity. "Attempts to contest Republika Srpska's right to its identity, holidays, and institutions cannot contribute to peace but instead deepen divisions and insecurity," Selaković pointed out. He emphasized that culture holds a special place in cooperation between Serbia and Republika Srpska as the foundation of the Serb national being, and that through joint events, the marking of important anniversaries, and the cherishing of a culture of remembrance, Serbia and Srpska clearly affirm that the Serb cultural space is unified and indivisible, just like the Serb people, wherever they live. "Our shared obligation is to preserve peace and resolutely defend the right of the Serb people to identity, tradition, historical memory, and also to the future," Selaković said. He stressed that Serbia and Republika Srpska will continue to strengthen their ties, without threatening anyone, while protecting who they are and what they have created for centuries—and will continue to create. January 9 is celebrated as Republika Srpska Day because Republika Srpska was established on that date in 1992 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 held the status of a constituent people. The name Republic of the Serb People in BiH was used until February 28, 1992, and the proclamation of the first Constitution, when it was replaced by the Serb Republic of BiH, which remained in use until August 12, 1992, when the name Serb Republic was introduced. That name was replaced in September 1992 with the current one - Republika Srpska.