The right to self-determination of nations presents a challenge for modern Europe, as secessionism in Europe still exists as on of the key issues of both political theory and practice. Today, there is a wide range of territories, regions and political entities that openly propagate and publicly express their own desire for political independence. One of them is also the Republic of Srpska (RS) which has been striving to secede from Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) for many years. In the case of RS, the rhetoric of the government and the main political parties was mostly inclined to the encouragement of the secession and a potential unification with the Republic of Serbia, especially during the pre-election periods. Threats of a secession referendum by the RS were constantly present along with the provocations of other constitutional nations concerning the celebration of the unconstitutional holiday of the RS and constant secessionist statements coming from the political leadership of RS. Foreign support is also a crucial factor for RS, especially the support emanating from the Republic of Serbia as well as the Russian Federation, while the majority support for secession by Bosnian Serbs is always present. Given the course of events, this is clearly a hollow threat originating from the government of the RS and the main political parties and is definitely not an offensive policy that could in any way undermine the statehood and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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