Serb Autonomous Oblast of Romanija Српска Аутономна Област Романија Srpska Autonomna Oblast Romanija | |||||||||
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| 1991–1992 | |||||||||
 Location of SAO Romanija (in red) within Bosnia and Herzegovina, 1991–1992. | |||||||||
| Status | Self-proclaimedSerb Autonomous Oblast | ||||||||
| Capital | Pale 43°48′43″N18°34′16″E / 43.81194°N 18.57111°E /43.81194; 18.57111 | ||||||||
| Common languages | Serbo-Croatian | ||||||||
| Government | Provisional government | ||||||||
| Historical era | Breakup of Yugoslavia | ||||||||
• Proclaimed | September 1991[1] 1991 | ||||||||
• Merged into SAO Romanija-Birač | November 1991[2] | ||||||||
• Incorporated into the Serbian Republic of BiH | 9 January 1992[3] 1992 | ||||||||
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| Today part of | Bosnia and Herzegovina | ||||||||
TheSAO of Romanija (Serbian Cyrillic:САО Романија,Serbian:SAO Romanija) was a self-proclaimed ethnicSerb autonomous region withinSR Bosnia and Herzegovina in the prelude to theBosnian War. It was named after theRomanija mountain. It included parts of three municipalities with a population of 37,000.[4] It was formed as part of a coordinated political project by theSerb Democratic Party (SDS) to create a separate Serb polity.
The entity was centered inPale, in theRomanija mountain region east ofSarajevo. In November 1991, it was reorganized and merged withSAO Birač to form theSAO Romanija-Birač.[2][5] These SAO structures were subsequently incorporated into the "Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina" (Srpska Republika Bosna i Hercegovina) when it was proclaimed on 9 January 1992. This entity was officially renamedRepublika Srpska on 12 August 1992.[3]
In 1990 and 1991, following the victory of nationalist parties in thefirst multi-party elections, theSerb Democratic Party (SDS) began establishing parallel institutions and regional structures. This process was formalized with the creation of the "Assembly of the Serb People in Bosnia and Herzegovina" on 24 October 1991.[3]
The SAOs were formed in areas with significant Serb populations as a means to create a territorial entity from which to challenge the Bosnian government's move toward independence. The SAO Romanija was proclaimed in September 1991.[1]
This political project was further defined by the SDS document "Instructions for the Organization and Activity of Organs of the Serbian People in Bosnia and Herzegovina in Extraordinary Circumstances," issued on 19 December 1991. This document ordered SDS-controlled municipal bodies and "Crisis Staffs" to secretly prepare for the creation of a separate Serb state by securing resources, establishing parallel communications, and coordinating with theYugoslav People's Army (JNA).[3]
In November 1991, the SAO Romanija was reorganized and merged with the newly proclaimedSAO Birač (centered inVlasenica) to form theSAO Romanija-Birač.[5] This merged entity encompassed a strategic area of eastern Bosnia, from the Romanija–Jahorina–Trebević area near Sarajevo eastwards across the Drina valley. According to analysis from theCIA, the entity's leadership was based in Pale.[6]
On 9 January 1992, the "Assembly of the Serb People in Bosnia and Herzegovina" proclaimed the "Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina" (Srpska Republika Bosna i Hercegovina). On 28 February 1992, this new entity adopted its constitution, which stated that its territory included the existing Serb Autonomous Oblasts, including SAO Romanija-Birač.[2]
The regional administrative and security structures of the SAOs, including their Crisis Staffs and police forces, were gradually centralized and formally integrated into this new state. This process was accelerated after 12 May 1992, when the Serb Assembly voted to establish theArmy of Republika Srpska (VRS) to succeed the JNA, which was officially withdrawing.[7] On 12 August 1992, the entity's name was officially shortened to "Republika Srpska" (RS), and the SAO structures were formally dissolved.[3]
On 9 January 1992, the Assembly of the Serb People in BiH adopted a Declaration on the Proclamation of the Serbian Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina... On 12 August 1992, the name of the Serbian Republic of BiH was changed to 'Republika Srpska'.
SAO Romanija was established in September 1991. Two months later it merged with SAO Birac to form SAO Romanija-Birac.
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