10TH ANNIVERSARY OF REFERENDUM THAT CONFIRMED JANUARY 9 AS REPUBLIKA SRPSKA DAY

BIJELJINA, SEPTEMBER 24 /SRNA/ — On September 25, 2016, a referendum was held in Republika Srpska in which an overwhelming majority of voters confirmed January 9 as Republika Srpska Day.

The referendum question was: "Do you support the celebration and observance of January 9 as Republika Srpska Day?" Of those who took part in the vote, 99.81 percent answered "Yes." The Republika Srpska National Assembly adopted the decision on holding the referendum on Republika Srpska Day at a special session on July 15, 2016, in response to a controversial decision by the BiH Constitutional Court, which, following an appeal by Bosniak BiH Presidency member Bakir Izetbegović, ruled by a majority vote that the celebration of January 9 as Republika Srpska Day was unconstitutional. The referendum on Republika Srpska Day was supported by all Serb deputies - 64 deputies from both the ruling coalition and the opposition. None of those present voted against or abstained. Republika Srpska was established on January 9, 1992, in Sarajevo as the Republic of the Serb People of BiH, by a decision of the then Assembly of the Serb People in BiH. Republika Srpska adopted its first constitution on February 28, 1992, under the name Constitution of Srpska Republika of BiH.