Bosnian Serbs declare national holiday in controversial referendum

Banja Luka, 26 September 2016 (MIA) - With a turnout of about 60 percent, citizens of Bosnia's Republika Srpska voted to declare 9 January as their national holiday. The referendum raised political tensions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, sparking even calls for new war, because it is feared that it puts Republika Srpska outside of the jurisdiction of the Bosnian Constitutional Court.

The day marks a declaration in 1992 to establish Republika Srpska in Serb majority territories in Bosnia. During the bloody Bosnian civil war, Serbs, Bosniaks and Muslims fought for domination, with numerous war crimes on all sides leading to the Serb genocide of Bosniaks in Srebrenica. Bosniak leaders opposed the declaration of the holiday which they associate with war crimes agains them, and successfully challenged it in front of the Constitutional Court, which prompted Republika Srpska President Milorad Dodik to call the referendum.

"Organizing this referendum is a legal right of the Republika Srpska. I'm grateful to all political sides who supported it. I'm proud that a significant percentage of Bosniaks did not vote in the referendum. Nobody objects to that, that is their right, as it is our right to vote in the referendum", said Dodik.

Western countries pushed Republika Srpska to cancel the referendum, fearing for the fragile unity of Bosnia if it goes ahead. In response, Dodik went to a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin and organized the referendum regardless.

The Republic of Serbia, which is considered the main protector of Bosnian Serbs, took a neutral position toward the referendum, saying it can't influence the authorities in Banja Luka.cc/08:58

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EU: Republika Srpska referendum has "no legal basis"

Brussels, 26 September 2016 (MIA) - The referendum in Republika Srpska (RS) has no legal basis, the European Commission said Monday, Tanjug reports.

"The referendum that took place yesterday has no legal basis since the Constitutional Court of Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) decided to suspend the decision on the referendum until the court decides on its constitutionality and, also, this referendum cannot change the final and binding nature of decisions of the Constitutional Court of BiH," EC spokesperson Maja Kocijancic told a press conference in Brussels.

"We encourage the institutions of the country to resolve the issue of the RS Day, to establish legal processes in the existing constitutional framework and, obviously, through a constructive dialogue."

"It is important that all parties abstain from acts which could escalate the situation and that BiH continues to focus on reforms," Kocijancic said.



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