Statehood Day (Croatia)
Statehood Day is a holiday that occurs every year on 30 May in Croatia to celebrate the constitution of the first modern multi-party Croatian Parliament in 1990. The Statehood Day is the National Day of Croatia, being both an official holiday and a day off work.
On 30 May 1990, the first modern multi-party Croatian Parliament convened, following the 1990 Croatian parliamentary election. This date was from 1990 to 2002 marked as the Statehood Day. The Government of Ivica Račan moved the Statehood Day to 25 June in 2002, and 30 May was marked as a minor holiday, one that was not an off-day. On 25 June, after the independence referendum held on 19 May 1991, Croatia proclaimed its independence, but due to the negotiation of the Brioni Agreement, a three-month moratorium was placed on the implementation of the decision and the Parliament cut all remaining ties with Yugoslavia on 8 October 1991. 8 October was celebrated as the Independence Day from 2002 to 2019.
Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia at the same time, and its Statehood Day coincided with the Croatian Statehood Day, on 25 June.
On 14 November 2019, the Croatian Parliament adopted a new law on holidays, and moved the Statehood Day back to 30 May.
Typical state activities on the occasion involve speeches by the President of Croatia and other dignitaries, as well as commemoration of the Croatian War of Independence.
