U.S. Warns Bosnian Serbs' Controversial Holiday Violates Peace Agreement

The celebration marks the 1992 declaration of an independent state, leading to a war with over 100,000 deaths.

The U.S. has warned that the celebration of a self-proclaimed national holiday by Bosnian Serbs on January 9 violates Bosnia's constitution and a 1995 peace agreement, and as such amounts to a criminal offense.
The holiday marks the 1992 declaration of an independent state by Bosnian Serbs, leading to a war that resulted in over 100,000 deaths.
Bosnia’s Constitutional Court has previously ruled against the date due to its association with war crimes committed by Bosnian Serbs during the conflict.
Nationalist pro-Russian leader Milorad Dodik has openly called for secession from Bosnia, defying U.S. and British sanctions imposed over his policies.
Western countries fear that Russia could try to stir up trouble in the Balkans to avert attention from the full-scale invasion of Ukraine, which was launched by Moscow nearly two years ago.