33 YEARS SINCE THE REFERENDUM Bosnia and Herzegovina celebrates Independence Day!

(Patria) - Bosnia and Herzegovina today celebrates 33 years of its independence.

Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina is a state holiday celebrated on March 1st every year, commemorating the independence of BiH. Adult citizens of the then SRBiH voted on the independence of Bosnia and Herzegovina in a referendum held on February 29th and March 1st, 1992.

The referendum question was:

- Are you for a sovereign and independent Bosnia and Herzegovina, a state of equal citizens, peoples of BiH - Muslims, Serbs, Croats, and members of other nations living in it?

Independence was strongly supported mainly by Bosniaks and Bosnian Croats, while a larger number of Bosnian Serbs boycotted the referendum due to the SDS's call for Serbs not to vote, but it cannot be said that Serbs did not vote in this referendum.

A total of 2,073,568 voters participated in the referendum, which represented a turnout of 63.6%. Of that number, 99.7% voted for independence, and 0.3% against that decision.

The European Community recognized BiH as an independent and sovereign state on April 6th, 1992.

On February 28th, 1995, the Parliament passed a decision to celebrate March 1st as Independence Day of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Followers of the same policy that boycotted the referendum still dispute this day today, and therefore it is celebrated only in the FBiH, and returnees in the BiH entity of Republika Srpska also mark it.

Due to the newly created situation and the actions taken by Milorad Dodik and the National Assembly of RS after the first-instance conviction handed down by the BiH Court to Dodik for disrespecting the decisions of the High Representative, and the deteriorated security situation, planned activities on the occasion of BiH Independence Day in RS have been cancelled in some places due to public threats against Bosniaks.

The Patria News Agency wishes a happy BiH Independence Day to all Bosnians and Herzegovinians who carry Bosnia and Herzegovina in their hearts and for whom it is their one and only homeland.