ZAGREB, Oct 11 (Hina) - The Democratic Centre (DC) bench in the Croatian parliament requested on Thursday that the parliament impose a decade-long moratorium on all changes of the dates of state holidays and national insignia. The
request was presented during a debate on a proposal by Social Liberal Ivo Skrabalo on changes to the Holiday Law by Vesna Skare Ozbolt (DC), who said the parliamentary debate on this topic would only increase division and tensions in the Croatian society. A moratorium is necessary so that a solution which would be satisfactory for most citizens could be adopted without political and ideological pressures, she said. Skrabalo's proposal that October 8 be declared a new state holiday -Independence Day, and the current Statehood Day, May 30, celebrated only as a memorial day, while Homeland Gratitude Day, August 5, should be renamed into Victory Day, was also opposed by the Croatia
ZAGREB, Oct 11 (Hina) - The Democratic Centre (DC) bench in the
Croatian parliament requested on Thursday that the parliament
impose a decade-long moratorium on all changes of the dates of state
holidays and national insignia.
The request was presented during a debate on a proposal by Social
Liberal Ivo Skrabalo on changes to the Holiday Law by Vesna Skare
Ozbolt (DC), who said the parliamentary debate on this topic would
only increase division and tensions in the Croatian society.
A moratorium is necessary so that a solution which would be
satisfactory for most citizens could be adopted without political
and ideological pressures, she said.
Skrabalo's proposal that October 8 be declared a new state holiday -
Independence Day, and the current Statehood Day, May 30, celebrated
only as a memorial day, while Homeland Gratitude Day, August 5,
should be renamed into Victory Day, was also opposed by the Croatian
Democratic Union (HDZ) and Croatian Party of Rights/Croatian
Christian Democratic Union (HSP/HKDU) benches. The parties of the
ruling coalition supported the proposal.
A mature democratic country does not change holidays whenever
authority changes, the HDZ believes.
Ivo Sanader of the HDZ says that the past 12 years have seen a
tradition of celebrating Statehood Day on May 30, in the country and
abroad. It will be difficult to explain why we are changing it now,
he says.
The HDZ has suggested that October 8, the day when the parliament in
1991 decided to sever all ties with the former federation, be a
memorial day and that the word victory be added to the name Homeland
Gratitude Day.
Anto Kovacevic of the HSP/HKDU says the reason for renaming
holidays reflects the authority's wish to annul all decisions
adopted in the past decade.
The ruling coalition benches supported in principle Skrabalo's
proposals, presenting some of their own.
The Peasants' Party (HSS) believes one should also consider naming
June 25 Croatian Statehood Day.
The Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS) has added a new dilemma to the
issue of dates - what about January 15, the day Croatia was
internationally recognised? Damir Kajin of the IDS has suggested
that September 25 be declared a day commemorating the Pazin
decisions and Istria being included into the homeland.
Although they are aware that increasing the number of non-working
days is not wise in the current situation, SDP deputies have
reiterated their proposal on January 2 as a non-working day, saying
it is important for tourism.
Some deputies addressed the question of religious holidays, asking
that Corpus Christi be a state holiday.
Skrabalo suggested that the question of religious holidays not be
discussed until a law on religious communities was adopted, by
which time the government should offer a final solution.
(hina) rml