Monday, May 19, 2008

Kosovo Passes Law Defining Public Holidays

Sources: Novosti and Kosovo public holidays (qppstudio.net). The government cabinet of Kosovo has adopted a law setting forth the list of official public holidays in Kosovo. As expected, February 17, the date of Kosovo's 2008 declaration of independence, was made into the new republic's National Day, while June 15, the day its new constitution is expected to be approved, will be Constitution Day.

Two dates no longer included in the list are the Kosovo Liberation Day, which was celebrated by the ethnic Albanian majority on June 12 (the day NATO forces entered Kosovo), and Albania’s Flag Day, November 28, which used to be marked in the UN protectorate.

The bill faces some turbulence, ahead, as some ethnic Albanian parties in Parliament are threatening to vote against the bill if these 2 dates, and the March 5th Martyrs' Day, are not added to the list of public holidays. They are also demanding that the name of the law be changed from the Law on National Holidays in Kosovo to the Law on National Holidays of Kosovo.