The Day of Serb Unity, Freedom, and National Flag reflects the spirit of the Serb nation, its aspirations, and ideals, made possible through the visionary leadership of the two Serb presidents—Milorad Dodik of Republika Srpska and Aleksandar Vučić of Serbia, said Milorad Kojić, an SNSD member of the House of Representatives in the Parliamentary Assembly of BiH, to Srna.
Kojić reminded that the Serb people have always strived for unity and solidarity, defending their hard-earned freedom throughout history while proudly displaying the red, blue, and white national flag.
Though these values are deeply ingrained in the essence of the Serb people, Kojić noted that it took decades of collective growth and the development of national consciousness for Serbs to finally have a holiday dedicated to Serb unity, freedom, and the national flag.
“We have strived for unity and solidarity for centuries. I will mention just one event from July 2, 1876, when the ‘Proclamation to the Bosnian People’ was issued, in which the Krajišnik, Posavina, and Podrinje regions with a Serb majority were annexed to the Principality of Serbia,” Kojić explained, emphasizing that the desire for unity has always existed.
Kojić highlighted that this desire reached its peak at the All-Serb Assembly in Belgrade, where the Declaration on the Protection of National and Political Rights and the Common Future of the Serb People was adopted.
“We likely have not yet fully grasped all the positive effects of either the established holiday, the All-Serb Assembly, or the All-Serb Declaration. Time will be the best judge of these unifying elements for the Serb people,” Kojić said.
He recalled that the Serb people in the 20th century endured genocide, unification and disintegration, the assassination of a king, NATO aggression, and sanctions.
“It was a century of suffering and wandering. However, that 20th century began with the breakthrough of the Salonika front on September 15, 1918, and it will be remembered that the Serb infantry, charging to liberate all Serb lands, was so fast that even the French cavalry couldn’t keep up. Such was the desire and will for freedom!” Kojić added.
He noted that the same desire and will for freedom reawakened at the end of that century west of the Drina River.
“The founding, legal establishment, and defense of Republika Srpska, the youngest Serb state, and the breakthrough of the Salonika front and the liberation of all Serb territories at the beginning of the century are two of the greatest victories of the Serb people,” Kojić stated.
Being a representative of Republika Srpska in Sarajevo today is not much different than it was for Petar Kočić in his time, Kojić reflected.
“The circumstances that loomed over us during Kočić’s lifetime still influence us today,” Kojić remarked.
He emphasized that today, the Serb people are proud of their unity, without harboring hatred or ill will toward anyone, and added that BiH can either exist as a Dayton framework or not at all.
“As we gather ourselves, we take nothing from anyone, but rather, we wish peace and prosperity for all. However, we will not allow anyone to deny us the right to celebrate our holidays, to gather, and to live for our Republika Srpska and our Serbia!” Kojić concluded.
The Day of Serb Unity, Freedom, and National Flag is a state holiday observed on September 15 in both Serbia and Republika Srpska.
This holiday was symbolically established on the anniversary of the breakthrough of the Salonika front and has been celebrated since 2020.
The idea for this joint holiday was proposed by Serbian leaders Aleksandar Vučić and Ana Brnabić in coordination with the leadership of Republika Srpska, led by Milorad Dodik.
On September 10, 2020, the government of Republika Srpska adopted a resolution to celebrate the Day of Serb Unity, Freedom, and National Flag, officially marking this holiday in Srpska.
The following day, on September 11, the Serb government also passed a resolution officially recognizing the holiday throughout Serbia.
The purpose of establishing the Day of Serb Unity, Freedom, and National Flag is to strengthen the unity of the Serb people in both Serbia and Srpska, and to promote the importance of the national flag.
Source: RTRS
