Ukraine’s Constitution Day 2026: The History of This Holiday and Whether There Will Be an Additional Day Off
28 June 08:59
On June 28, Ukraine celebrates Constitution Day—one of its key national holidays. This year, the date holds special significance, as 2026 will mark exactly 30 years since the adoption of the Constitution of Ukraine, which established the legal foundations of the independent Ukrainian state, writes "Komersant Ukrainian".
Ukraine’s Constitution Day: When It Is Celebrated and Why This Date Is Important to Ukrainians
Ukraine’s Constitution Day is celebrated annually on June 28. It was on this day in 1996 that the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine adopted our country’s Basic Law. The document defined Ukraine as a sovereign, independent, democratic, social, and law-based state, and enshrined human rights and freedoms.
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The Constitution of Ukraine establishes the principles governing the work of state authorities, defines the status of the Ukrainian language, state symbols, the foundations of local self-government, and human and civil rights and freedoms. This document is also referred to as the Fundamental Law of the state, because all laws and subordinate legislation, decisions of state and local authorities, as well as judicial practice, are based on the provisions of the Constitution.
Ukraine’s Constitution Day: The Status of This Holiday and Whether It Is a National Holiday
Ukraine’s Constitution Day holds a special status among the nation’s other commemorative holidays. It is the only national holiday explicitly enshrined in the text of the Constitution itself.
Specifically, Article 161 of the Constitution of Ukraine states: “The day the Constitution of Ukraine was adopted is a national holiday—Constitution Day of Ukraine.”
From “Ruska Pravda” to the 1996 Constitution of Ukraine: The History of Ukrainian Lawmaking
The Ukrainian legal tradition has evolved over many centuries. Its origins are often linked to Yaroslav the Wise’s “Ruska Pravda” —one of the oldest collections of ancient Rus law on Ukrainian lands. This document set forth norms governing property, criminal, inheritance, and procedural relations.
The 1710 Constitution of Pylyp Orlyk also occupies an important place in the history of Ukrainian constitutionalism. It was adopted after Hetman Ivan Mazepa’s defeat at the Battle of Poltava and established limits on the hetman’s power, his duties, and the separation of powers into legislative, executive, and judicial branches.
On April 29, 1918, the Central Rada adopted the Constitution of the Ukrainian People’s Republic; however, it never came into force due to Pavlo Skoropadskyi’s coup d’état.
After declaring independence, Ukraine continued to operate under the 1978 Soviet Constitution for some time. Work on drafting a new Constitution began in the early 1990s, and active work on the final text of the Constitution—carried out by a specially created commission that worked 13 hours a day—lasted about three months.
How the 1996 Constitution of Ukraine Was Adopted
The final stage of the Constitution’s adoption went down in history as “Constitutional Night.” Members of Parliament spent nearly 24 hours discussing the document’s key provisions and the numerous amendments that had been introduced during preparations for the second reading.
Ukraine’s Constitution was adopted on June 28, 1996, at 9:20 a.m., with 315 members of parliament voting in favor. Since then, this date has officially been designated as Ukraine’s Constitution Day.
Will there be an additional day off for Constitution Day in 2026?
In 2026, Constitution Day falls on Sunday, June 28. In peacetime, if a public holiday coincides with a weekend, the public holiday is moved to the next following business day. However, in accordance with Part 6 of Article 6 of the Law of Ukraine “On the Organization of Labor Relations under Martial Law,” during martial law, the provisions of Article 73 of the Labor Code of Ukraine regarding holidays and non-working days do not apply.
Therefore, despite the holiday’s status as a national holiday, there will be no additional day off on Monday, June 29, 2026.
Author: Olya Yushko
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