20 May 2008 | Kosovo’s government approved a law proposal mandating the newly independent country’s national holidays, international media reported today.

The law includes 11 official holidays. Among them are some dates specific to Kosovo’s history – February 17, the day Kosovo declared its independence earlier this year, and June 15, the day its new constitution is expected to be approved.

Other holidays are more universal and include International Labour Day (May 1), Europe Day (May 9), Musilm Eids, Christmas (both according to the Catholic and the Orthodox calendars, on December 25 and January 6 respectively), as well as the Catholic and Orthodox Easter.

Two dates not 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 after the conflict, and Albania’s Flag Day, November 28, which used to be marked in the UN protectorate.

“Kosovo is an independent, sovereign, democratic and multiethnic country,” Prime Minister, Hashim Thaci told media upon the holidays’ declaration.

The decision on the official holidays and the upcoming adoption of the constitution are the latest steps taken by the Balkans’ newest state in its nation-building project. As BalkanTravellers.com reported in February, the Kosovo parliament adopted a flag at the same time it declared the country’s independence.

And while some parts of the project are accomplished with relative ease – through parliamentary approval, other symbols of national identity – as BalkanTravellers.com wrote, are harder to come by, as they need to be acceptable to all of Kosovo’s citizens.

Read more about Kosovo on BalkanTravellers.com