Belarus restored independence 17 years ago (Photo)

• 25.08.2008, 9:54

On August 25, 1991 a special session of the Supreme Council of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic adopted the law “On giving the Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic a status of a constitutional law”.

Additionally, a resolution “On ensuring political and economic independence of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic” was adopted.

Thus, in fact independence of the Soviet Socialist Republic was declared, “Nasha Niva” informs.

As Syarhei Navumchyk underlines in his book “Seven years of revival…”, deputy Lukashenka opposed giving the Declaration of State Sovereignty the status of a constitutional act.

That session took place on the third day after the failure of August Putsch of the State Emergency Committee (GKChP) and was rather heated.

On August 24 the Belarusian Popular Front gathered dozens thousands people on Lenin Square, while a white-red-white flag was brought into the convention hall by Valyantsin Holubeu, Zyanon Paznyak and Halina Syamdzyanava. Then deputies of the BPF faction stopped the chief Communist Anatol Malafeeu from the pulpit.

On August 24 the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Belarusian People’s Republic Mikalay Dzemyantsej offered his resignation. Stanislau Shushkevich became the first leader of the independent Belarus, who was a deputy chairman of the Supreme Soviet before.

On September 19, 1991 the session of the Supreme Soviet adopted a decision to call the BSSR the Republic of Belarus, and Belarus as a shot form.

Then of the Supreme Soviet on state symbols was adopted. A white-red-white flag was declared the state flag, and Pahonya the state emblem.

Photo: August 1991. One of the first meetings of the oldest oppositional party Belarusian Popular Front on Lenin Square in Minsk (now Independence Square), a protest against the coup of post-Communist forces in Moscow.