Sunday: Reception for BiH Independence Day at the Presidency

A ceremonial reception marking March 1, BiH Independence Day, will be held on Sunday at the Presidency of BiH building starting at 6 PM, reports the Bosnian news agency Patria.

The hosts of the reception are members of the BiH Presidency Dragan Čović and Bakir Izetbegović, while the Chairman Mladen Ivanić will not attend the reception, just as other Serbian members of the BiH Presidency have not attended in previous years. Ivanić's position has been known for some time: „until a law on holidays at the BiH level is adopted, there is no basis for marking any date.“

REFERENDUM IN 1992

In the referendum held on February 29 and March 1, 1992, citizens of BiH voted for a democratic and independent state of equal citizens.

According to statistical data, approximately 64.31% of eligible voters turned out for the referendum, and about 99.44% of them voted for BiH independence.

In response to the referendum, Serbian paramilitary formations set up barricades in Sarajevo, which was a prelude to the bloodiest aggression in BiH history.

The member states of the European Community recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina as an independent and sovereign state on April 6, 1992, and the United States did so a day later. The Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina became a member of the United Nations on May 22, 1992.  

The Assembly of the Republic of BiH, held on February 28, 1995, adopted a decision declaring March 1 as BiH Independence Day.