Statehood Day in Croatia – Dan državnosti

Statehood Day called Dan državnosti is a Croatian national holiday that occurs every year on May 30. Croatia celebrates the country’s 1991 declaration of independence from Yugoslavia on this day. It is an official state holiday, and many residents enjoy a day off from work.

Statehood Day was celebrated on June 25 until 2020. The government changed the Law on national holidays in 2019 and moved this holiday to May 30. The first democratically elected multi-party Parliament was constituted on May 30, 1990, and this is why this date is significant.

In this post, we cover:

• Statehood Day history
• Tradition and activities

The facts are these…

Statehood Day in Croatia – Dan državnosti

History of Croatian Statehood Day

The conflict in former Yugoslavia reached its peak in the spring of 1991. Croatia and Slovenia declared their sovereignty a year before and held the first free parliamentary elections. However, the terms sovereignty and independence were not synonymous at that time.

Croatia and Slovenia sought a peaceful way of breaking away from Yugoslavia. These two countries were interested in possibly creating a confederation of sovereign republics instead of one single nation. Meanwhile, there was a rebellion of Serbs in parts of Croatia. What remained of the federal government of Yugoslavia was completely paralyzed.

In such circumstances, Croatia issued a referendum on May 19. 83% of the voters replied to the referendum, of which 93.2% voted YES for Croatian sovereignty. The referendum offered two options.

According to the first option, Croatia would become a sovereign and independent state, guaranteeing cultural autonomy and civil rights to Serbs and other minorities in Croatia, free to form an association of sovereign states with other former Yugoslav republics. According to the second option, Croatia would remain a unified federal state in Yugoslavia.

To this day, the referendum holds the record for the largest turnout in Croatian history and is one of the most significant Croatian historical events. On 25 June 1991, the Croatian Parliament met and adopted a Constitutional Declaration on the sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Croatia.

[Read: Branches of Croatian Government]

The Croatian Parliament proclaimed the existence of the Republic of Croatia, until then a part of Socialist Yugoslavia, a sovereign and independent state. Croatia became an independent state by this act, initiated the separation process from other Yugoslav republics, and sought international recognition.

Germany independently recognized Croatia in December 1991, as did the rest of Europe in January 1992, followed by the rest of the world.

Croatian customs and activities on Statehood Day

Typical state activities on this occasion involve speeches by the Croatian president, the Prime Minister, and other dignitaries, as well as commemorating the Croatian War of Independence.

The commemoration usually begins at the Mirogoj City Cemetery in Zagreb. Croatian president, the Prime Minister, and other dignitaries lay wreaths and light candles in front of the Central Cross of Croatian War Veterans in the Alley of Killed Croatian War Veterans.

They also lay wreaths on the grave of the first Croatian president Franjo Tuđman, at the grave of the unidentified victims of the Croatian War of Independence, and in the memorial park near the monument called Glas hrvatske žrtve – Zid boli (Voice of the Croatian Victim – Wall of Pain).

After the ceremony at Mirogoj, a Holy Mass for the Croatian homeland is served. It is usually led by the Archbishop of Zagreb.

Statehood Day is also commemorated in other Croatian cities by laying wreaths and lighting candles near monuments and graves of Croatian war veterans. Some cities also organize sports and entertainment events.

View a list of all of Croatia’s national holidays here.

View other national holiday posts

• All Saint’s Day (Dan svih svetih) in Croatia
• Anti-Fascist Struggle Day (Dan antifašističke borbe)
• Corpus Christi (Tijelovo)
• Croatia national holidays
• Day of Remembering the Victims of Croatia War of Independence and Day of Remembering Victims of Vukovar and Škabrnja
• Epiphany (Bogojavljenje, Sveta tri kralja)
• How Croatia celebrates Easter‌
• Međunarodni praznik rada (Labor Day)
• Sveti Stjepan, Štefanje (St. Stephen’s Day)
• Velika Gospa (Assumption of Mary)
• Victory and Homeland Thanksgiving Day (Dan pobjede i domovinske zahvalnosti)

Source:
30. svibnja – Dan državnosti by Hrvatski sabor