Croatia celebrates Statehood Day marking the first democratically elected parliament

Croatia is celebrating Statehood Day on Thursday, a national holiday marking the constitution of the first modern multi-party Croatian Parliament in 1990. It is a non-working day that is usually celebrated outdoors with family and friends.

On May 30th 1990, the first modern multi-party Croatian Parliament convened, following the 1990 Croatian parliamentary elections. The parliament had 351 elected representatives, and Žarko Domljan served as the first Speaker of Parliament and opened his term with these words: “With respect for the past, let us direct our view to the future, in a bid to gather all people of good will, all of the spiritual, expert and material potential of this country in achieving our common goal.”

On the occasion the first Croatian President, Franjo Tuđman, addressed citizens in downtown Zagreb: “I give you my word, so long as I and this Croatian leadership we will not betray you.”

Marking Statehood Day on Thursday top state officials attended a wreath laying ceremony at the Monument to the Homeland in Zagreb. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković: “In more than three decades of freedom and independence, we as a nation have traveled a long and bumpy road. Namely, the path to the liberation of occupied territories in the defensive and victorious Homeland War. The creation of institutions, the market economy, and Croatia's international positioning, is all coming to a head now with this generation, which is governing Croatia based on the trust of the Croatian people. And that is why it is important for this young nation, in terms of international recognition, to celebrate our important days so that the young generations can know and be proud of their identity, their country, their culture, their heritage, and their history.”

For his part Parliament Speaker Gordan Jandroković had this to say at today’s commemoration: “On that day when the first democratic, multi-party parliament was constituted, it became clear that the Croatian people wanted to live in a free, democratic, multi-party system, with the rule of law, the protection of human rights, and all of the freedoms that we attribute to free societies.”

“May 30th lives on in our national consciousness, in our people, as an important day that we commemorate, and let our homeland and its people truly be happy,” added Deputy Prime Minister and Veterans' Affairs Minister Tomo Medved.

Statehood Day was marked throughout the country, including in Vukovar, where Deputy Parliament Speaker and Vukovar Mayor Ivan Penava led a delegation to the Memorial Cemetery, where he reminded of the huge price Croatia and its people paid for independence and the importance of remembering: “...how demanding, how difficult it was, how many people had to give their lives, but also how big this achievement was, that Croatia, as a relatively small nation, today has its own country in this modern, globalized world.”

Also marking the occasion today, the Cravat Honor Regiment held a ceremonial changing of the guard in downtown Zagreb. The day's celebrations will conclude this evening with a special concert at the Croatian National Theater.

Source: HRT