Croatia Independence Day 2015: Croatian Independence Day is marked on October 8 to remember when Croatia officially broke away from Yugoslavia, which was a big event in history.
Croatia became a part of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia when it was formed in 1918. With the fall of communism in Europe in the late 1980s, Yugoslavia saw the start of national liberation movements. The Socialist Republic of Croatia was an important part of Yugoslavia when it became a socialist republic after World War II.
In 1990, the Republic of Croatia took the place of the Socialist Republic of Croatia as its name. The next year, there was a vote on independence, and more than 93% of people wanted Croatia to be free. Even though Croatia claimed independence on June 25, 1991, it was a reality on October 8, 1991, when the Croatian parliament broke all ties with Yugoslavia.
In 2001, Croatian Independence Day was made a public holiday. It was celebrated for the first time in 2002. It is very important to tell the difference between Independence Day and Statehood Day. Freedom Day marks the day that Croatia severed all ties with Yugoslavia, and Statehood Day marks the day that Croatia declared its freedom.
History of Croatia Independence Day
In 9 A.D., parts of what is now the Roman Empire took over Croatia. This was the start of Croatian history. Diocletian built his house in Split when he was the first Roman Emperor to rule the area. After giving up the throne in 305 A.D., he used the house as his home when he retired. In the fifth century, Julius Nepos, the last legitimate Western Roman Emperor, looked for safety. Croats moved to the Roman region of Dalmatia between the sixth and ninth centuries and made the Duchy of Croatia, which included parts of modern-day Croatia.
In the seventh and ninth centuries, the Croats became Christians. On June 7, 879, Pope John VIII accepted Duke Branimir as the first ruler of the country. The golden age of Croatia began in 925 when King Tomislav was in charge. This era ended, though, in 1102 when Croatia joined the Hungarian kingdom while still being separate. The Hungarian King chose Ban as Croatia’s leader.
After World War I, on December 4, 1918, Croatia announced its independence. It then joined with the States of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. In 1921, a constitution that unified the monarchy and made it legal to follow it took away Croatia’s freedom. It was renamed Yugoslavia by King Alexander in 1931. Croatia claimed its independence on June 25, 1991, and it became real on October 8, 1991. As a result, there was a fight with Serbia, which ended in August 1995 with Croatia winning.
June 25, 2002, was named Statehood Day by Ivica Racan, and October 8, 2002, was named Croatian Independence Day. But on November 14, 2019, the Croatian Parliament changed Croatia Independence Day to June 25 by making October 8 the Day of the Croatian Parliament.
Croatia Independence Day Timeline
1918
Setting up of Yugoslavia
Croatia becomes a part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes, which would later be known as Yugoslavia.
1941
What World War II did to people
During World War II, Croatia had a short time when it was its own Nazi state.
1945
The Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia
Once the War was over, Croatia turned into a socialist country within the new Socialist Federal country of Yugoslavia.
1990
Croatia’s elections were fair.
The Croatian people will vote in their first multiparty democratic elections since World War II. If the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) wins, Franjo Tudjman will be president.
1991
Declaration of Independence for Croatia
The Croatian War of Independence began on June 25, when Croatia said it was leaving Yugoslavia.
1995
The end of the conflict
The fighting ended in August 1995, securing Croatia’s freedom. By the end of the year, the U.N. will have recognized Croatia’s independence around the world.
How Independence Day is Celebrated in Croatia?
On October 8, Croatians celebrate Independence Day with a lot of joy, remembering the day their country declared its independence from the former Yugoslavia in 1991. Many events and activities are held all over the country to honor this important day. In Zagreb, the capital city, there is a formal ceremony that is the main event of the celebration. At this event, there are traditional ceremonies to raise the flag, powerful political speeches, and captivating musical performances.
In addition to the formal ceremony, Independence Day is celebrated with art shows and cultural events. These efforts help to show off Croatia’s long and interesting past, which gives both locals and visitors a sense of national identity. Taking part in fireworks shows, parades, and concerts makes the day more exciting and creates a lively, happy atmosphere all over the country.
Freedom Day is important to Croatia because it gives them a chance to think about how hard it was to get their freedom. It’s time to remember and respect those who bravely fought for Croatia’s freedom. The October 8th celebrations show unity and patriotism by remembering the bravery and successes of the Croatian people in their fight for freedom.
The background of Croatia Independence Day
Croats have been around since the ninth century A.D. Parts of Croatia became part of the Roman Empire, which is the start of its interesting history. Diocletian lived in Split and was the first Roman Emperor to rule the area. After Diocletian gave up his throne in 305 A.D., Julius Nepos, the last de jure Western Roman Emperor, fled Italy and went to the palace for safety. Croats moved to the Roman region of Dalmatia between the sixth and ninth centuries and made the Duchy of Croatia, which included parts of modern-day Croatia.
In the seventh and ninth centuries, many Croats became Christians. On June 7, 879, Pope John VIII recognized Duke Branimir as Croatia’s first king. When Tomislav became Croatia’s first king in 925, the country was at its best. Croatia became a part of the Hungarian empire in 1102. This was the end of this era. The King of Hungary chose Ban to be Croatia’s leader while still letting the country keep its independence.
After World War I, Croatia declared its independence in 1918 and became a part of the new States of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs. The new states came together on December 4, 1918, to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. In 1921, a new constitution was passed that officially united the monarchy and took away Croatia’s independence. King Alexander changed the country’s name to Yugoslavia in 1931. Since the end of World War II on June 25, 1991, Croatia has been independent. It became official on October 8, 1991. But this led to fighting between the Serbs and the Croats, which Croatia finally won in August 1995.
How to Observe Croatia Independence Day
Go to Croatia to see a movie.
In honor of Croatia’s Independence Day, you should watch a Croatian movie. On sites like IMDb, Netflix, and YouTube, you can watch classic movies with songs like “Don’t Look Back,” “Handcuffs,” “One Song A Day Takes Mischief Away,” “Roundabout,” and “Aleksi.”
Learn about Croatia’s long and interesting history.
Even though we gave you a brief overview of Croatia’s history, today is a great time to learn more about how the country came to be. Britannica and Wikipedia are great places to start for in-depth research.
Join the Croatian groups on social media.
Please show your support for Croatian Independence Day by wishing them well on social media. Share pictures with the words “Happy Independence Day” on Facebook and Instagram. You can also make a short video on TikTok or Instagram to wish people a happy Independence Day.
When did Croatia claim independence?
June 25, 1991
Slovenia and Croatia both declared formal independence on June 25, 1991.
In a legal statement made on June 25, 1991, the country ended its relationship with the SFRY and ceased to be a constituent republic. [48] [49] [50] Members of the left-wing parties skipped part of the vote in the legislature to declare independence.
The European Economic Community and the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe quickly told Croatia and Slovenia that they would not be recognized as separate republics because they were afraid of a possible civil war in Yugoslavia. In the middle of 1991, the Croatian War of Independence began. Three “Serb Autonomous Oblasts,” which were ruled by Serbs in Croatia, came together to form the Republic of Serbian Krajina. The rest of the area was taken over by Croatia in 1998, but not until 1995.
Because it also became independent on June 26, 1991, the same day as Croatia, Slovenia was the first country to recognize Croatia as a separate country. On June 29, officials from both Slovenia and Croatia agreed to put off the independence proclamation for three months. This was done to ease tensions. A group of ministers from the European Community met with leaders from Yugoslavia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Croatia on July 7 to sign the agreement officially. Latvia was the only country to recognize Croatia on July 30.
Do Croatians celebrate Independence Day?
Croatia’s Independence Day (Dan Neovisnosti)
Independence Day is a holiday in the Republic of Croatia marked on June 25. This holiday celebrates the unanimous decision of the Croatian parliament to end the connection to Yugoslavia.
It became independent in 1918 and joined the new States of Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs that had been formed after World War I. On December 4, 1918, the group changed its name to the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes. When a new constitution was put in place in 1921, it turned the monarchy into a single state, and Croatia lost its independence. It was renamed Yugoslavia by King Alexander in 1931. Croatia became independent again on June 25, 1991, after World War II. When the proclamation went into effect on October 8, 1991, it started a war between Serbs and Croats that ended in August 1995, with Croatia winning.
When Ivica Racan was in charge in 2002, Statehood Day was moved to June 25, and Croatian Independence Day was moved to October 8. In a vote on November 14, 2019, the Croatian Parliament made June 25, 2019, Croatian Independence Day again, and October 8, 2019, became Croatian Parliament Day.
What happened in Croatia 2023?
January. 1 January – Croatia adopted the euro and became the 20th member state of the eurozone. This was the first enlargement of the monetary union since Lithuania’s entry in 2015. Croatia also joined the Schengen Area and became its 27th member.
This year, an appeal was made to keep the celebration of the fall of Vukovar on November 18 from becoming political. The fall of Vukovar was a turning point in the first year of the Croatian War (1991–1995). Right-wing parties tried to use the event’s memories to their advantage before the elections in the first half of 2024, but most of the time, they ignored the appeal. That being said, this policy made it harder for Serbs to show their respect.
It was on November 18, 1991, that the Yugoslav People’s Army and Serb paramilitaries took Vukovar after a three-month siege that destroyed most of the city. About 1,000 civilians died during the siege, and about 22,000 Croats were forced to leave on foot when the city gave up and was taken over by the new government. During this scary time, hundreds of hurt soldiers and civilians were brutally taken from a hospital and put to death.
Who gave Croatia independence?
The parliament of Croatia declared Croatia’s independence and dissolved its association with Yugoslavia on 25 June 1991. The Croatian parliament’s decision was partially boycotted by left-wing parliament deputies.
Croatia officially broke away from Yugoslavia on June 25, 1991, when its parliament declared independence. Some lawmakers on the left were unhappy with this decision. The Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe and the European Community suggested that the decision be put off for three months by the Croatian government.
Ante Marković, the prime minister of Yugoslavia, said that Slovenian and Croatian secessions were against the law and went against the Yugoslav Constitution. The Yugoslav government told the Yugoslav People’s Army (JNA) to do something to help the country stay united.
The military conflict in Slovenia in June and July 1991 ended quickly, in part because most people in the country were the same race. Later, it came out that Slobodan and Borisav, who was president of SFR Yugoslavia at the time, had planned to attack Slovenia with troops and then pull back. This was written in Jović’s diary, which was made public. He also said the same thing when he testified at the ICTY trial.
In order to calm things down, Croatia agreed to the Brioni Agreement, which said that it would not declare independence for three months.
How many years old is Croatia?
Croatia, as a polity, first appeared as a duchy in the 7th century, the Duchy of Croatia. With the nearby Principality of Lower Pannonia, it was united and elevated into the Kingdom of Croatia which lasted from 925 until 1102.
It was once called Pannonia and Dalmatia, and it was part of the Roman Empire. Today, it is called Croatia. After the Western Roman Empire ended in the fifth century, the area was ruled by the Ostrogoths for fifty years. After that, it became part of the Byzantine Empire.
In the seventh century, the Duchy of Croatia set up its system of government. It was united and given the name Kingdom of Croatia after joining forces with the nearby Principality of Lower Pannonia. It held this title from 925 to 1102. In the 1100s, the Kingdom of Croatia and the Kingdom of Hungary joined together as one country. Some royal families from nearby countries, mostly from Hungary, Naples, and the Habsburg monarchy, kept their independence with a ruler (Ban) and Sabor.
Between the 15th and 17th centuries, the Habsburg Empire in the north and the Ottoman Empire in the south were at War with each other.
Every year on July 21, Croatia celebrates its Independence Day, which marks the end of its oppressive Yugoslav rule and the return of its sovereignty. Today, we honor the brave men and women who fought for Croatia’s independence by remembering what they gave up. It’s a chance stop and think about how important freedom, unity, and patriotism are.
As we celebrate this important day, let us remember how important it is to love and protect our country’s hard-won independence. Croatia, happy day of independence!
