ARMY OF RBiH Komšić, Bećirović and numerous delegations paid tribute to the martyrs and fallen soldiers of the Army of RBiH

(Patria) - By laying flowers and paying due tribute to the martyrs and fallen soldiers of the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the 31st anniversary of the Army of RBiH was marked today at the Kovači Martyrs' Cemetery, as well as at the City Cemetery "Stadion".

Multinationality, multiconfessionalism, and above all courage characterized the soldiers of the defense-liberation war, who had a clear goal before them – freedom.

The Minister for Veterans' Affairs of Sarajevo Canton, Omer Osmanović, attended the marking of this very important date in the history of Bosnia and Herzegovina, and used this opportunity to congratulate all defenders of the Army of RBiH.

"Today, as we mark the day of the formation of our honorable Army, we owe immense gratitude to our soldiers who defended our homeland, but also respect for those who laid down their lives defending it. Thanks to all of them, we enjoy freedom today, we have our homeland Bosnia and Herzegovina, and we live in peace. We must talk about the heroic deeds of our soldiers, we must mention their courage every day, take care of our veterans and the families of martyrs and fallen soldiers, because only by nurturing a culture of remembrance do we continuously prevent the most valuable sons of Bosnia and Herzegovina from being forgotten," said Minister Osmanović.

On April 8, 1992, the Presidency of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared an immediate war danger and established the Main Staff of the Territorial Defense of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Territorial Defense of BiH was the successor to the then Territorial Defense of SR Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The Army of RBiH was founded on April 15, 1992, from the units of the Territorial Defense of BiH and organized volunteers, in response to the aggression against the Republic of BiH. Members of all Bosnian-Herzegovinian peoples fought under the flag of the ARBiH.

Army Day represents continuity, not only in the maintenance of the Armed Forces which are the successors of the Army, but also in the maintenance of the continuity of the state of BiH itself.

Activities marking the 31st anniversary of the formation of the Army of RBiH will continue with a ceremonial academy at the National Theatre in Sarajevo.

Bećirović addressed the media on this occasion and congratulated these two anniversaries.

"The Army of RBiH was the legal armed force of the legally and internationally recognized Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The Army of RBiH is the most important historical fact in our centuries-long history. If it weren't for the Army of RBiH, the citizens' referendum of March 1, 1992, would have failed, and BiH's admission to the United Nations on May 22, 1992, would have remained a dead letter," stated Bećirović.

"All of us in BiH who love BiH can be proud of the freedom-loving and heroic Army of RBiH. It defended mosques, churches, synagogues, kindergartens, schools, it defended a sovereign, indivisible, independent, and multinational BiH based on the Constitution of the state and the platform of the Presidency of RBiH.