ZAGREB, Oct 10 (Hina) - Amendments to the law on public holidays would introduce a new national holiday, Independence Day, on Oct. 8, while Homeland Gratitude Day, Aug. 5, would be renamed Victory Day, and Statehood Day, May 30, would
be celebrated as a memorial day but would be a working day. Outlining the bill of amendments, sponsor Ivo Skrabalo of the ruling coalition's Social Liberals (HSLS) said his intention was not renaming or changing symbols but establishing an order of priorities among various events. Speaking about the reasons which prompted him to move Oct. 8 as Independence Day, Skrabalo said that ten years ago on that day, parliament passed the historic decision to sever all state and legal ties with the former Yugoslav federation. On Oct. 8, 1991 Croatia became an independent, sovereign state and all ex-Yugoslav bodies illegitimate, said Skrabalo. Homeland Gratitude Day, Aug. 5, is celebrated in memo
ZAGREB, Oct 10 (Hina) - Amendments to the law on public holidays
would introduce a new national holiday, Independence Day, on Oct.
8, while Homeland Gratitude Day, Aug. 5, would be renamed Victory
Day, and Statehood Day, May 30, would be celebrated as a memorial
day but would be a working day.
Outlining the bill of amendments, sponsor Ivo Skrabalo of the
ruling coalition's Social Liberals (HSLS) said his intention was
not renaming or changing symbols but establishing an order of
priorities among various events.
Speaking about the reasons which prompted him to move Oct. 8 as
Independence Day, Skrabalo said that ten years ago on that day,
parliament passed the historic decision to sever all state and
legal ties with the former Yugoslav federation.
On Oct. 8, 1991 Croatia became an independent, sovereign state and
all ex-Yugoslav bodies illegitimate, said Skrabalo.
Homeland Gratitude Day, Aug. 5, is celebrated in memory of the
liberation of the southern town of Knin, the Serb Croat rebels'
stronghold in the 1990s war, and the end of military operations. It
was the day of Croatia's victory and should be renamed Victory Day,
according to Skrabalo.
Statehood Day, May 30, is the day when Croatia's first multiparty
parliament held its first session in 1990. It would be celebrated
but be a working day.
Skrabalo's bill is endorsed by the five-party ruling coalition but
opposed by the strongest opposition party, the Croatian Democratic
Union (HDZ). Parliament will debate it on Thursday.
(hina) ha sb