KARAN: REPUBLIKA SRPSKA IS PERMANENT AND UNQUESTIONABLE CATEGORY OF HISTORY, LAW, AND JUSTICE

BANJALUKA, OCTOBER 24 /SRNA/ – The establishment of the Assembly of the Serb People in BiH 34 years ago was a historic necessity and a statesmanlike act that demonstrated the full maturity of the Serb people and their political leadership at that time, laying the foundations of the statehood of Republika Srpska, said Professor of Constitutional Law Siniša Karan.

On the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the founding of the National Assembly of Republika Srpska, Professor Karan stated in a column for SRNA that, by marking this historically important date, the Serb people reaffirm their enduring and unwavering determination to preserve Republika Srpska as the highest expression of their freedom, constitutional order, and statehood. Below is the full text of Professor Karan's column for SRNA: Thirty-four years ago began a state-forming process that culminated in the international recognition of Republika Srpska in Dayton. This process was not initiated by our own will. We were compelled to defend our fundamental human rights and freedoms, guaranteed by all relevant international acts. Thirty-four years ago, the Assembly of the Serb People in BiH was established, which later became known as the National Assembly of Republika Srpska. Today, it remains the highest legislative body in Republika Srpska, holding both constitutional and law-making authority. The founding of the Assembly of the Serb People in BiH was neither accidental nor impulsive reaction. The founding of the Assembly was a historic necessity and a statesmanlike act that reflected the maturity and responsibility of the Serb people and their political elite at that moment. At a time when the political will of the Serbs was isolated, when an entire nation /Serb/ was being outvoted and the foundations of the unitary state dismantled along AVNOJ borders, the Serb people had to organize institutionally to protect their right to exist, its freedom, and statehood. The decision to establish the Assembly of the Serb People was not directed against others. It was, and remains, one of the vital decisions that define the very essence of Republika Srpska even today. It marked the beginning of the constitutional formation of Srpska. The Assembly of the Serb People did not endanger the rights of other nations in BiH; on the contrary, it guaranteed equality among nations in BiH, and represented a pledge for peace and stability within BiH. Equality was the key principle proclaimed by the Assembly of the Serb people, later elaborated through mutually agreed principles from Geneva and New York, and incorporated into the Dayton Peace Agreement and the Constitution of BiH as one of the pillars of the established state. Equality excludes domination. Equality guarantees peace. Equality is the precondition for coexistence. By establishing the Assembly of the Serb People in BiH in 1991, the foundations of the statehood of Republika Srpska were laid, which existed as an independent state until the signing of the Dayton Peace Agreement. It was an appeal for peace, justice, and an act of constitutional responsibility. That step demonstrated the political maturity and vision of the Serb people who, during the disintegration of the former Socialist Yugoslavia, chose to defend their equality, democratic order, and historical continuity. By marking this historically important date, we reaffirm our enduring and unshakable decision to preserve Republika Srpska as the highest expression of our freedom, constitutionality, and statehood. Republika Srpska has retained its subjectivity within Dayton BiH. The struggle for the constitutional position of Republika Srpska has never ceased. It seems that it never will. This situation compels us to remain vigilant, to guard what we have, and to defend the Dayton constitutional order. Today's events and attacks on Republika Srpska are a confirmation of the correctness of the decisions made back then. Just as we then resisted various pressures and recognized the threats to the survival of the Serb people, Republika Srpska today continues to resist all pressures and faces new challenges with readiness. The strength of Republika Srpska comes from its people. The people are its foundation, the foundation of its institutions, and that is why Republika Srpska is invincible, as even those who have worked against Srpska for years are now realizing. Today we can proudly say to everyone that we stand with proudly open arms to all who wish to build fair relations, peace, and stability with us, but we will never be anyone's servants! Just as 34 years ago, we once again face a test of maturity as a people, a test that I have no doubts we will pass, for we know that Republika Srpska was not given to us as a gift, but fought for, and earned through countless sacrifices. Republika Srpska was created, defended, and preserved by the Serb people. It is a permanent and unquestionable category of history, law, and justice.