Statehood Day (Croatia)

Statehood Day (Croatian: Dan državnosti [dan dr̩ʒaʋnosti]) is a holiday that occurs every year on 25 June in Croatia to celebrate the country's 1991 declaration of independence from Yugoslavia. The Statehood Day is an official holiday, a day off work in Croatia.

After the independence referendum held on 19 May 1991, the Croatian Parliament formally proclaimed independence with Ustavna odluka o suverenosti i samostalnosti Republike Hrvatske, lit. the Constitutional decision on sovereignty and independence of the Republic of Croatia.

The Statehood Day originally used to be 30 May, marking the day when in 1990 the first post-Communist multi-party Parliament was constituted. There was some controversy in the public regarding which date is more suitable for the day of the statehood. Since 2002, 25 June has prevailed as the Statehood Day, and 30 May is marked a minor holiday, one that is not an off-day.

This holiday is not to be confused with Croatia's Independence Day, which is marked each year on 8 October. The independence was proclaimed on 25 June, 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 in October.

Slovenia declared independence from Yugoslavia at the same time, and its Statehood Day coincides with the Croatian Statehood Day, on 25 June.

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.