Stanislau Shushkevich: This day must be a national holiday

Abolition of celebration of the Independence Day on July 27 was one of deceptive and populist techniques of Aliaksandr Lukashenka after the "referendum" in 1995.

Stanislau Shushkevich, the first leader of independent Belarus, ex-Chairman of the Supreme Soviet, shared his opinion with charter97.org.

–On July 27 it is 25 years after the day of adoption of the Declaration of Sovereignty of Belarus. You belonged to the commission of the BSSR Supreme Council on drafting out the Declaration. What were the most prominent moments?

–First, the Belarusian Popular Front talked much about the fact that there was a need to adopt such a declaration. It was in June, the BPF had their own project, and they developed it.

Another project appeared a little later. Mikalai Dzemiantsei, Chairman of the Supreme Council, proposed it. He was the first to carry over the draft Independence Declaration for consideration on behalf of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Byelorussia (CC CPB). The project consisted of 38 paragraphs. I think it was made because even Russia had already adopted the Declaration.

The project was discussed at meetings of the Supreme Council. But it failed. Then it was decided to create two commissions, I headed one of them. For example, Vasil Leonau was in our team and worked hard. First five articles, the most important ones, were developed very fast. Instead of 38 articles we finally had 12 of them and a preamble.

On July 27, 1990 the Declaration was almost unanimously adopted by deputies of the Supreme Council.

How do you evaluate the significance of the Independence Declaration for the modern history of Belarus?

–It is a very important document. We were the tenth of the republics of the former USSR, who adopted such declarations. Long before us Estonia and Lithuania proclaimed the sovereignty. And, if speaking frankly, we learned much from them.

Russia was the eighth country, which adopted the Declaration. But it could not be the example; Russia is a multinational federal state. Belarus is a unitary one. Deputies of the XIIth Supreme Council developed the declaration.

In accordance with the Declaration we passed the constitutional law. Thus, it was the first step on our way.

- Until 1996 July 27 used to be a national holiday. What do you think about its abolition in 1996?

- It is very simple - Aliaksandr Lukashenka needed to demonstrate his allegiance to Russia. And he made it look like he was the one who was devoted to Russia. It was one of his populist techniques, a quite deceptive one. He made a lot of promises both to people and Russia. That was an ordinary political lie.

- What should be done for this date not to be forgotten?

- I believe we should celebrate March 25 as the national Independence Day of Belarusian People's Republic. It is the most important holiday for me. The second place goes to July 27 - the adoption of the Declaration of independence. One of these days must be a national holiday, but not the day of liberation of Minsk by the Red Army. It is certainly a historical event, but July 27 is much more important.