1991 Bosnian Serb referendum

A referendum on remaining in Yugoslavia was held in the parts of Bosnia and Herzegovina with a significant Serb population on 10 November 1991.^[1] The referendum was organised by the Bosnian Serb Assembly and asked two questions; to Serbs it asked:

Do you agree with the decision of Assembly of the Serbian people in Bosnia and Herzegovina of October 24, 1991, that the Serbian people should remain in a common Yugoslav state with Serbia, Montenegro, the SAO Krajina, SAO Slavonija, Baranja and Western Srem, and with others who have come out for remaining?^[2]

Non-Serbs were asked:

Are you agreed that Bosnia and Herzegovina, as an equal republic, should remain in a common state of Yugoslavia with all others who take this position?^[2]

It was approved by 98% of voters, and Republika Srpska was subsequently established on 9 January 1992.^[1]

Results

Question	For		Against		Invalid/ blank	Total votes	Registered voters	Turnout	Result
	Votes	%	Votes	%
Remaining of all Serbs in Yugoslavia	1,161,146	98.00		2.00			1,550,000	85.00	Approved
Bosnia-Herzegovina to remain in Yugoslavia	48,845								Approved
Source: Direct Democracy

Aftermath

The Bosnian government declared the referendum unconstitutional.^[3] It later held a nationwide independence referendum between 29 February and 1 March 1992, which was in turn boycotted by most of the Serbs.^[4] Steven L. Burg and Paul S. Shoup interpreted the question in the plebiscite, which asked voters to stay in a "common state with Serbia, Montenegro, the SAO Krajina, SAO Slavonija, Baranja and Western Srem, and Serb Autonomous Regions" as promoting, in effect, a Greater Serbia.^[5]