KARAN: REFERENDUM HAS BECOME SYNONYMOUS FOR FREEDOM OF THE SERB PEOPLE IN EXERCISE OF THEIR RIGHTS IN THE BiH STATE COMMUNITY

BANJA LUKA, SEPTEMBER 25 /SRNA/ - Professor of constitutional law and president of the Republic Commission for the Implementation of the Referendum on January 9 as Republic Day Siniša Karan told SRNA that the referendum has become a synonym for the freedom of the citizens of Republika Srpska and the Serb people in exercising their rights in a complex state community such as Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Karan emphasized that it is very important that Republika Srpska joined the ranks of countries that successfully held a referendum, which is the greatest democratic achievement of citizens and nations. He emphasized that the referendum is the most democratic form of declaration that confirms the sovereignty of one nation and citizens. "Today we mark eight years since the holding of the first referendum in Republika Srpska and BiH, in which it was confirmed by the will of the citizens that January 9 is marked and celebrated as Republic Day. Republika Srpska has found a way and way to decide on all important issues in a referendum. Citizens at the referendum, they can state whether or not they are in favor of any processes concerning Republika Srpska," Karan explained. In his statement to SRNA, he reminded that 99.81 percent of the citizens who voted gave a positive answer to the referendum question: "Do you support January 9 being marked and celebrated as the Day of Republika Srpska?" In Republika Srpska, a referendum was held on September 25, 2016, in which a huge number of voters supported January 9 as the Day of Republika Srpska. In the referendum the question of which was: "Do you support January 9 being marked and celebrated as the day of Republika Srpska?", 99.81 percent of the citizens who came out to vote voted positively. The decision to call a referendum on the Day of Srpska was adopted by the National Assembly of Srpska at a special session on July 15, reacting to the controversial decision of the Constitutional Court of BiH, which, based on the appeal of the Bosniak member of the BiH Presidency Bakir Izetbegović by outvoting ruled that the celebration of January 9 as Republic Day was unconstitutional. Calling for a referendum on Republic Day was supported by all Serb MPs - 64 MPs from the ruling coalition and the opposition, and none of those present were against or abstained. Republika Srpska was established on January 9, 1992 in Sarajevo as the Republic of the Serb People of Bosnia and Herzegovina by the decision of the then Assembly of the Serb People in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Republika Srpska received its first constitution on February 28, 1992 under the name Constitution of the Serb Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina.