The Croatian Spring represented a reformation period in the beginning of political, cultural and social life of what was then Socialist Republic of Croatia (“SR Croatia”). The movement was aimed at democratization, liberalization and accomplishment of political, economic and social equality of SR Croatia and the Croatian people within the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (“SFRY”). Although equality of the Federal Republics and peoples in all aspects of life was guaranteed by the Constitution of the SFRY, in actuality it was rarely the case. This situation resulted in the emergence of Croatian political, intellectual and student leaders in mid 1960s and 1970s who sought to achieve the much-needed equality. The first signs of “spring awakening” appeared in 1966 in the form of removal from office of Aleksandar Ranković, who was a synonym for hard unitarist and centralist policy of the then existing Communist Party of Yugoslavia (“CPY”). Another significant element that must not be neglected is the beginning of economic reform in 1965, which had a direct impact on day-to-day lives of people in SFRY. A major step forward was made in 1967 by Croatian institution Matica Hrvatska. In the weekly newspaper Telegram, Matica Hrvatska published the Declaration, aimed at achieving equal treatment of the Croatian language in federal institutions and consistent use of Croatian standard language in SR Croatia. The Declaration brought about the awakening of national identity, with top figures of the Communist Party of Croatia (CPC) unambiguously calling for reforms and being openly supported by Croatian intellectuals and students. SFRY and the CPY saw these actions as a threat to “brotherhood and unity” and began retaliating against the pronounced figures of the Croatian Spring movement. The heads of the CPC were forced to resign, intellectuals were excluded from public life and students were sentenced to imprisonment. Despite the hindrances, the Croatian Spring movement achieved its goal when the Constitution of SFRY of 1974 was adopted, granting the Federal Republics the right to self-determination, including the right to secede. The full extent of this right was yet to be exercised, two decades later, when the dream of the Croatian people became a reality – in the form of independent and free Republic of Croatia.