The Republica Srpska is one of two political entities in Bosnia Herzegovina. Comprised of the primarily Serb parts of the northern and eastern areas of the country, it first declared independence in 1992 as Bosnia’s independence war was starting. Under the peace agreement, it became a part of Bosnia.

The anthem first chosen for the area was naturally the Serbian one, but with an interesting difference, the lyrics used were the former ones referring to the Serbian monarchy (which was long-since deposed), although not to any specific Serbian monarch; as such there was a difference of just a few words between the two anthems. (This might also have been done to distinguish its anthem from that of Serbia.)

In 2007, however, it was decreed that the lyrics were considered “exclusionary”, first the parliament of the Republic of Srpska voted to retain the Serbian “Boze Pravde” as the anthem, but without lyrics, and when that was not approved either, a new anthem was adopted in 2008, “Moja Republika”.

Special thanks to: Avril Leach and Keith Lehwald for some of this information.