30 Years Ago, the Independence of Belarus Became Law

The dream of Belarusians has come true.

On August 25, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR gave the Declaration of State Sovereignty of Belarus the status of constitutional law.

Thus, the supremacy of the Belarusian Constitution and laws over the so-called "union" was declared.

The voting took place at a session that was called immediately after the defeat of the August putsch in Moscow. Under pressure from the parliamentary opposition, the Belarusian Popular Front, headed by Zianon Pazniak, most of the deputies of the Supreme Soviet voted for the independence of Belarus de jure. De facto Belarus gained independence in December 1991 after the signing of the Belovezhskaya Accords, which resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In Belarus, August 25 is not officially celebrated, and, for example, in Ukraine, this very event (the Declaration acquired the status of constitutional law) is celebrated as the state Independence Day.