Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
The authors of the final version of the officially adopted flag are Prof. Dr. En · Public domain · source
Conventional long name	Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
Common name	Bosnia and Herzegovina
Era	Yugoslav Wars
Status	Member of the United Nations
Life span	1992–1995
P1	Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina
S1	Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
S2	Republika Srpska (1992–1995)Republika Srpska
Symbol type	Coat of arms
Capital	Sarajevo
Common languages	Serbo-Croatian
Government type	Parliamentary republic
Title leader	President
Leader1	Alija Izetbegović
Year leader1	1992–1995
Title deputy	Prime Minister
Deputy1	Jure Pelivan
Year deputy1	1992–1993
Deputy2	Mile Akmadžić
Year deputy2	1993–1995
Deputy3	Haris Silajdžić
Year deputy3	1995
Legislature	National Assembly
Event start	Independence referendum
Date start	29 February – 1 March
Event1	Declaration of independence
Date event1	3 March 1992
Event2	Bosnian War begins
Date event2	6 April 1992
Event end	Dayton Agreement
Date end	14 December 1995
Currency	Bosnian dinar

Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina was the sovereign state proclaimed following the 1992 Bosnian independence referendum and the dissolution of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia. Its declaration of independence on 3 March 1992 was immediately contested by Bosnian Serb political leadership, leading to the outbreak of the Bosnian War. The republic, with its capital in Sarajevo, was internationally recognized and led by President Alija Izetbegović and his Party of Democratic Action throughout a period defined by protracted siege, widespread ethnic conflict, and complex diplomatic maneuvers.

History

The republic's origins lie in the political crisis following the secessions of Slovenia and Croatia from Yugoslavia in 1991. The Assembly of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina organized a sovereignty referendum in early 1992, which was largely boycotted by the Serb Democratic Party led by Radovan Karadžić. Following a vote for independence, the republic was proclaimed, and its sovereignty was immediately challenged by the proclamation of the Republika Srpska and the Croatian Republic of Herzeg-Bosnia by Bosnian Croat forces. The subsequent Bosnian War was characterized by major offensives like the Operation Corridor, the Battle of Mostar, and the Markale massacres, which drew increasing international intervention from bodies like the United Nations Protection Force.

Government and politics

The government was a parliamentary republic with a collective presidency initially envisioned to represent the three constituent peoples. However, the wartime government was dominated by the Party of Democratic Action under President Alija Izetbegović, with key figures including Prime Ministers Jure Pelivan and Haris Silajdžić. The legislature, the National Assembly, operated under extreme duress, often convening in besieged Sarajevo. Political life was fractured along ethnic lines, with parallel institutions like the Assembly of the Serb People of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Croatian National Council effectively governing territories held by Bosnian Serb and Croatian Defence Council forces.

Military

The republic's armed forces, the Army of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, were formally established in April 1992 from territorial defense units and police forces, commanded by figures like Sefer Halilović and Rasim Delić. It faced a militarily superior coalition of the Yugoslav People's Army, later the Army of the Republika Srpska under Ratko Mladić, and the Croatian Defence Council. Key formations included the Patriotic League and later the Bosnian mujahideen units. Major military engagements included the Battle of Orašje, the Operation Neretva '93, and the Battle of Vozuća, with the army often reliant on clandestine arms shipments despite a UN arms embargo.

International recognition and status

The republic was recognized by the European Economic Community and the United States on 6 April 1992, the same day the Bosnian War began with the Siege of Sarajevo. It was admitted to the United Nations as a member state on 22 May 1992. Throughout the conflict, it sought diplomatic and military support, engaging with the International Conference on the Former Yugoslavia, the Contact Group, and the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia. Its sovereignty was a central point of contention in peace plans like the Vance–Owen Peace Plan, the Stoltenberg–Owen Peace Plan, and ultimately the Dayton Agreement.

Dissolution and legacy

The republic ceased to exist as a unitary state with the signing of the Dayton Agreement in December 1995, which ended the Bosnian War. The agreement created the modern state of Bosnia and Herzegovina, composed of two entities: the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska. The legacy of the republic is deeply intertwined with the war's atrocities, including the Srebrenica genocide, the establishment of detention camps, and the massive displacement of populations. Its period of existence remains a foundational, though deeply traumatic, chapter in the establishment of Bosnian sovereignty, with its institutions forming the basis for the postwar Constitution of Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Category:Former countries in the Balkans Category:History of Bosnia and Herzegovina Category:1990s in Bosnia and Herzegovina