Independence Day (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Independence Day (Bosnian: Dan nezavisnosti / Дан независности) is a public holiday observed by the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina held on 1 March to celebrate independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina from the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.

Independence Day
Vječna vatra decorated with Bosnian flag on Independence Day 2019
Official nameIndependence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Observed byFederation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
TypePGPG
SignificanceThe day when citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina voted for the independence on the independence referendum in 1992.[1]
CelebrationsDances, concerts
Date1 March
FrequencyAnnual

Citizens of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina voted for the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina on the referendum that was held between 29 February and 1 March 1992.[2] The referendum question was: "Are you in favor of a sovereign and independent Bosnia-Herzegovina, a state of equal citizens and nations of Muslims, Serbs, Croats and others who live in it?"[3] Independence was strongly favoured by Bosniaks and Bosnian Croat voters, while Bosnian Serbs (except for those in larger cities)[4] boycotted it[5] or were prevented from participating by Bosnian Serb authorities.[6][7] The total turnout of voters was 63.6% of which 99.7% voted for the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina.[5]

The results of the referendum were accepted on 6 March by the Parliament of Bosnia and Herzegovina. On 7 April 1992, the European Community recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina as an independent state.[8] The Parliament of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (the parliament of the Bosnian-Croat Federation) then made the decision on 28 February 1995 that 1 March be the Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina and a national holiday.[9] Two days later, on 1 March 1995, Independence Day was celebrated for the first time.[8]

The Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina is celebrated only in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while Republika Srpska boycotts this holiday and celebrates its own Independence Day on 9 January.[10] Milorad Dodik, former President of Republika Srpska and current Bosnian Presidency member, has claimed that Independence Day "is a holiday of the Bosnian people and we do not dispute it, but it is not a holiday celebrated in the Republika Srpska (RS)".[11]

References

Citation
  1. Batnes et al. 2003, p. 608.
  2. Nohlen & Stöver 2010, p. 330.
  3. Velikonja 2003, p. 237.
  4. Velikonja 2003, p. 238.
  5. Nohlen & Stöver 2010, p. 334.
  6. Walling 2013, p. 93.
  7. Gow 2003, p. 173.
  8. Berman 2001, p. 148.
  9. "Danas je Dan nezavisnosti BiH" (in Bosnian). Radio Sarajevo. 1 March 2012. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 1 March 2012.
  10. Brunn et al. 2000, p. 1641.
  11. Kaletovic, Bedrana (3 March 2012). "BiH marks independence, but not all celebrate". Southeast European Times. Archived from the original on 1 April 2012. Retrieved 3 April 2012.

Sources
  • Batnes, Ian; Champion, Neil; Hudson, Robert; Macdonald, Fiona; Oliver, Clare; Seacey, Gillian; Steele, Philip (2003). Peoples of Europe. Marshall Cavendish Corporation. ISBN 0-7614-7378-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Berman, David M. (2001). The Heroes of Treća Gimnazija: A War School in Sarajevo, 1992–1995. Rownam & Littlefield Publishers. ISBN 0-8476-9567-0.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Gow, James (2003). The Serbian Project and its Adversaries: A Strategy of War Crimes. London: C. Hurst & Co. ISBN 978-1-85065-646-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Brunn, Stefano; Felton, Michelle; Haywood, John; Kerrigan, Michael Thomas; Lund-Lack, Simon; Plowright, John; Swift, John (2000). World And Its People: Western Balkans. Marshall Cavendish Corporation. ISBN 978-0-7614-7883-6.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Nohlen, Dieter; Stöver, Philip (2010). Elections in Europe: A Data Handbook. Nomos Verlagsgesellschaft Mbh & Co. ISBN 978-3-8329-5609-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Velikonja, Mitja (2003). Religious Separation and Political Intolerance in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Texas A&M University Press. ISBN 978-1-58544-226-3.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Walling, Carrie Booth (2013). All Necessary Measures: The United Nations and Humanitarian Intervention. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0-8122-0847-4.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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