Status: 09.01.2023 18:26
A nationalist parade in honor of the Republic of Srpska in a Sarajevo suburb causes heated tempers. Experts warn of a creeping split in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The “Republica Srpska Day” parade marches through East Sarajevo, a suburb of the Bosnian capital. East Sarajevo is just about on the territory of the Serb-dominated part of the country. Security forces are taking part in the parade, as well as a subgroup of the nationalist motorcycle gang “Night Wolves”, which originated in Russia.
In the grandstand at the front: Milorad Dodik, President of the Republic of Srpska. Once again, Dodik makes it clear that he doesn’t believe in the whole state of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Long live Serbia. Long live the Republic of Srpska. Long live the Serbian people.
January 9 important impetus for the Bosnian war
January 9 was the day the Serbs in Bosnia seceded with a republic in 1992. An important impetus for the Bosnian war. Bosniaks and Croats in particular associate the day with the war crimes that followed.
Not far from the parade, in a predominantly Bosniak neighborhood, people can only shake their heads at the Srpska security forces’ nationalist performance show.
I think nothing of it. You are cheating this people. They try to make a state out of their entity. But that doesn’t happen. This celebration is only held to create tension and intimidate people.
Terrible. They should be ashamed.
Celebrations are unconstitutional
In the Serbian quarter, many do not want to comment on the parade. Only one young man is enthusiastic, he is just admiring the deployment of an anti-terrorist unit of the Srpska police in Flecktarn: “Only the best! This is the day of life for the Serbs in these areas. Without this day we would be here to not give.”
However, the celebrations on January 9 are unconstitutional. Several organizations have filed lawsuits today, including against Srpska President Milorad Dodik and the municipalities of Banja Luka and East Sarajevo. Genocide victims demand sanctions against Dodik.
“Creeping apart of Bosnia-Herzegovina”
The demand is addressed to the High Representative for Bosnia-Herzegovina, the representative of the international community. The German Christian Schmidt currently holds the office. He sees January 9th as just one part of several problems.
I’m worried about January 9, and also about the decisions of the Parliament in Banja Luka to take a path completely opposed to court and state decisions. So the gradual breaking up of Bosnia-Herzegovina. That’s the real problem for me.
Schmidt promises the public prosecutor’s full support in the investigations following today’s parade. He believes that the international community, above all the European Union, is needed to contain the secessionist tendencies.
Bosnia-Herzegovina: Parade on controversial “Republica Srpska Day”
Silke Hahne, ARD Vienna, January 9, 2023 5:55 p.m