Akcija “Septembar 93” - pobuna Vojske Republike Srpske u Banjoj Luci
Action "September 93" - Rebellion of Army of Serb Republic in Banja Luka

Summary/Abstract: The paper deals with the rebellion of elements of 1st Krajina corps of Army of Serb Republic that began on September 10, 1993 in Banja Luka, during the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Serb soldiers rebelled against the widespread poverty and social problems in the Serb Republic. The crisis was resolved peacefully on September 17 when units that took part in the rebellion withdrew from Banja Luka. The paper presents how civilian and military authorities of Serb Republic responded to the rebellion. It also shows that immediately after the outbreak of rebellion there appeared rumors that there existed a deeper political background of the rebellion and that rebellious soldiers and their formal leaders were only executioners of a plan that had been created by others. The paper explains that the rebellion coincided with the beginning of crisis in relations between Serbian president Slobodan Milošević and leadership of Serb Republic headed by Radovan Karadžić. Because of the involvement of Belgrade in war in Bosnia-Herzegovina newly proclaimed Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Serbia and Montenegro) was put under international sanctions and isolation. Because of this economic and social situation in Serbia soon became very difficult and this forced Milošević to accept international peace plans for Bosnia-Herzegovina. Although Serb Republic in Bosnia-Herzegovina was established by the will and support of Belgrade, its leadership refused to accept these peace plans because it did not want to relinquish territories captured at the beginning of war and it also did not want any solution within the internationally recognized borders of Bosnia-Herzegovina. There is a possibility, although not substantiated by clear evidence, that Milošević’s men in fact organized the rebellion in Banja Luka, in order to show Serb Republic’s leadership that compromises must be made and war brought to an end. But in fact Karadžić retained his uncompromising position until 1995 when offensive of Croatian and Bosniak forces, as well as NATO air strikes, finally forced him to accept negotiations that finally resulted in Dayton peace accords.

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