Under the inherited law on national holidays, March 1 is a non-working day in the Federation of BiH, Bosnia's Croat-Muslim entity, while Republika Srpska, the Serb entity, does not mark this Independence Day in any way given that its authorities have never recognised the legality of the referendum.
After the war, BiH did not agree on a law on national holidays that would be observed throughout the country.
The Muslim and Croat members of the state Presidency, Haris Silajdzic and Zeljko Komsic, gave a reception which, as in previous years, was not attended by the Presidency's Serb member.
"Mass crimes were aimed at negating the will of the majority of BiH citizens who 15 years ago today chose a democratic and equal constitutional and territorial organisation of our country," said Silajdzic.
Komsic said that BiH would survive all challenges no matter how imperfect and problem-ridden it was.
The referendum on independence was held at the recommendation of the Badinter commission, which had been founded by the Council of Ministers of the then European Community.
About sixty-five per cent of eligible voters took part in the referendum on February 29 and March 1, 1992, despite the Serb Democratic Party's efforts to thwart it, with 99 per cent voting for an independent BiH.
As early as March 1, the party set up barricades in Sarajevo, blocking the city and paving the way for the war that ensued.