PANIĆ: THE ARMY EMERGED FROM THE PEOPLE AND IS AN INSEPARABLE PART OF IT

DOBOJ, MAY 12 /SRNA/ – The Army of Republika Srpska emerged from the Serb people, who self-organized to preserve their biological survival on their ancestral land, and it remains an inseparable part of them despite attempts to undermine that unity, retired Colonel Golub Panić told SRNA.

Panić emphasized that the formation of the Army of Republika Srpska had a defensive character and was a necessary response to the hostile intentions of Croats and Muslims, who already had well-armed military units, all in the painful historical context of the Serbian experience in World War II.

"That hatred toward Serbs has not disappeared, and we should have no illusions about it. Hatred still exists and always resurfaces when given a chance. Anyone who has read Alija Izetbegović’s 'Islamic Declaration' understands everything clearly," Panić stated.

During the Defensive–Homeland War, Panić was one of the commanders of the Second Ozren Light Infantry Brigade, which defended Mount Ozren by separating the Zenica and Tuzla corps of the so-called Army of BiH, while simultaneously fighting the enemy from the “El Mujahid” unit.

He said that the formation of this brigade was preceded by the self-organization of the local Serb population, based on the memory of the heavy suffering of Serbs from the Vozuća region, the Krivaja River valley, and the southern part of Ozren during World War II.

Panić noted that the creation of the Army of Republika Srpska was the Serb response to a new historical threat to their survival—a threat once again imposed, after 1941, by followers of Nazi and fascist ideology.

“Fascism and Nazism were defeated in World War II, but not destroyed. Today, they have been revived. We were a clear example of this in the 1990s. Events related to the May 9 Victory Day should also be viewed in this context,” Panić pointed out.

He stated that Serbs must not renounce their legacy of freedom, of which the Army of Republika Srpska is an essential part.

The Second Ozren Brigade was formed on May 23, 1992. A total of 421 of its soldiers gave their lives in defense of Ozren and Republika Srpska, and 12 are still listed as missing.

Panić announced that on May 24, a ceremony will be held in Petrovo to mark 33 years since the formation of this brigade.

The Army of Republika Srpska was founded on May 12, 1992, and by the end of the Defensive–Homeland War, it had 210,000 soldiers. According to the Republika Srpska Center for War Research, War Crimes, and Missing Persons, 23,659 of them died.

After 14 years of existence, the Army of Republika Srpska became part of the Armed Forces of BiH, where its military heritage and identity are preserved by the 3rd Infantry (Republika Srpska) Regiment.