Alija Izetbegović in the context of "Republika Srpska (1992–1995)"

An independence referendum was held in the Socialist Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina between 29 February and 1 March 1992, following the first free elections of 1990 and the rise of ethnic tensions that eventually led to the breakup of Yugoslavia. Independence was strongly favoured by Muslim and Bosnian Croat voters while Bosnian Serbs boycotted the referendum or were prevented from participating by Bosnian Serb authorities.

The total turnout of voters was 64%, 99.7% of whom voted for independence. On 3 March, the Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Alija Izetbegović declared the independence of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the parliament ratified the action. On 6 April, the United States and the European Economic Community recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina as an independent state and on 22 May it was admitted into the United Nations.

Haris Silajdžić (Bosnian pronunciation: [xaris silajdʒitɕ]; born 1 October 1945) is a Bosnian politician and academic who served as the 5th Bosniak member of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 2006 to 2010. He was the Prime Minister of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1993 to 1996, and previously served as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 1990 to 1993. He is Bosnia and Herzegovina's longest-serving head of government since the Yugoslav era.

Silajdžić was born in Breza in 1945. He graduated in Arabic language and Islamic studies at the University of Benghazi in Libya, and then earned his master's degree and doctorate from the University of Pristina. He entered into politics in the early 1990s, serving as Bosnia and Herzegovina's Minister of Foreign Affairs and later as Prime Minister during the Bosnian War. In the height of the war, Silajdžić was one of the most influential Bosnian officials and a close ally of the country's first president of the presidency, Alija Izetbegović. From 1994 until 1996, Silajdžić served as the first Prime Minister of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. After his term as Federal Prime Minister ended, he was appointed Co-chairman of the Council of Ministers of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1997, serving until 2000.