Bosnian Serbs voting in illegal 'holiday' referendum

BELGRADE, Serbia

Serbs in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina are voting Sunday in a controversial referendum on a “national holiday,” though the nation's highest court has already ruled the vote illegal.

Serbian voters began voting at 7.00 a.m. (0500GMT) local time at about 1,900 polling stations over whether to mark Jan. 9 in the Republika Srpska as “Statehood Day.”

But Bosnia’s Constitutional Court last November ruled that such a holiday would discriminate against the country’s Muslim Bosniaks and Catholic Croats, as it falls on a Serbian Orthodox Christian holiday.

Bakir Izzetbegovic, chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and head of the country's largest Bosniak party, Democratic Action Party (SDA), has warned the referendum is a rehearsal for Republika Sprska's independence from Bosnia.

The Peace Implementation Council (PIC), the international body tasked with implementing the 1995 Dayton Peace Accord, has also urged Republika Srpska to not hold the referendum.

Serbian voters abroad can also cast ballots at polling stations in Serbia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Russian Federation, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Polls are open from 7am to 7pm, and the first unofficial results are expected to be announced around 12 midnight.

The referendum is being monitored by 250 accredited national and international media organizations.

BELGRADE, Serbia

Serbs in Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina are voting Sunday in a controversial referendum on a “national holiday,” though the nation's highest court has already ruled the vote illegal.

Serbian voters began voting at 7.00 a.m. (0500GMT) local time at about 1,900 polling stations over whether to mark Jan. 9 in the Republika Srpska as “Statehood Day.”

The Peace Implementation Council (PIC), the international body tasked with implementing the 1995 Dayton Peace Accord, has also urged Republika Srpska to not hold the referendum.

Serbian voters abroad can also cast ballots at polling stations in Serbia, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, the Russian Federation, Belgium, and the Netherlands.

Polls are open from 7am to 7pm, and the first unofficial results are expected to be announced around 12 midnight.

The referendum is being monitored by 250 accredited national and international media organizations.