Republic Day (Republika Srpska)

Republic Day is a public holiday in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and it is observed on January 9 each year. The holiday commemorates the anniversary when Bosnian Serbs declared their own state in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1992.

Please note that Bosnia and Herzegovina has two autonomous entities: Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, with a third unit, the Brčko District. Republic Day is only observed in Republika Srpska.

At the end of World War II, Bosnia and Herzegovina became one of six constituent republics in the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Following the breakup of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, on March 3, 1992, the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina declared independence following a referendum for independence, which was held between February 29 and March 1, 1992. In the referendum, 99.7% of voters voted for independence.

On the same day, Bosnian Serbs also declared a severance of governmental ties with Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that triggered the Bosnian War. The war lasted over 3 years until December 1995 and resulted in major changes in the country. It is estimated that over 100,000 people were killed in the war, and about 2 million people were displaced.

After the war, Republika Srpska was recognized as one of its two main political-territorial divisions.

The following is the list of Republic Day in the Republika Srpska from 2022 to 2026.