Independence Day is a public holiday in Montenegro, observed on May 21. The holiday commemorates the anniversary of the independence referendum on May 21, 2006, which led to the independence of Montenegro on June 3.
Montenegro is a country in Southeastern Europe that has been under different rules for centuries. In 1496, the Ottoman Empire occupied Montenegro. After 382 years of rule by the Ottoman Empire, the Congress of Berlin recognized the independence of Montenegro in 1878.
After World War I, the Kingdom of Montenegro and Serbia, Slovenes, Croats, and Serbs formed a new kingdom named the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1929. During World War II, the Axis forces occupied the territory. Yugoslav partisans liberated Yugoslavia, including Montenegro, in 1944, and Montenegro became a constituent republic of the Federal of Yugoslavia.
Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia in the 1990s, Montenegro and Serbia formed a new Federal of Yugoslavia. On May 21, 2006, a referendum on Montenegrin independence was held, and 55.5% of the voters favored the independence. On June 3, 2006, the Montenegrin Parliament declared the independence of Montenegro.
The following is the list of Independence Day in Montenegro from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Independence Day | May 21, 2022 | Saturday |
| Independence Day | May 21, 2023 | Sunday |
| Independence Day | May 21, 2024 | Tuesday |
| Independence Day | May 21, 2025 | Wednesday |
| Independence Day | May 21, 2026 | Thursday |
Please check more public holidays in Montenegro: