Statehood Day in Croatia
Statehood Day is a holiday observed annually on the 30th of May in Croatia. Also known as “Dan državnosti” in Croatian, this holiday commemorates the day in 1990 when the first post-Communist era multi-party Parliament was constituted. This followed a Croatian independence referendum that resulted in 94% of voters voting in favor of establishing an independent Croatia.
Croatia (National holiday)This holiday was originally observed on June 25th, but after the Croatian government adopted a new set of rules for their holidays, it was moved back to the 30th of May. The June 25th date then became Independence Day for the country.
The History Of Croatian Statehood Day
Croatia was originally part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, but that was only until the empire collapsed following WWI. Croatia then became one of six republics that would end up forming the country known as Yugoslavia. On May 30, 1990, Croatia constituted the first multi-party Parliament.
A year later, the Croatian Independence Referendum secured the votes needed in favor of establishing an independent Croatia. On June 25th, Croatia declared its independence. Due to the Brioni Agreement, however, there was a three-month moratorium placed on the implementation of the decision and for the Croatian Parliament to cut any and all remaining ties with Yugoslavia.
On October 8, 1991, Croatia cut ties with Yugoslavia, and this date was remembered as Independence Day from 2002 through 2019. On November 19, 2019, the Croatian government moved Statehood Day from June 25th back to May 30th.
Observing Croatian Statehood Day
On this holiday, the President of Croatia and other important members of the government take the time to give speeches about the day to the general public. It is also a day for military parades, the hoisting of the Croatian flag, and other special events. The hashtag #CroatianStatehoodDay can be used on social media to spread the word about this holiday.
Croatia (National holiday)
