On September 19, 1991, the Supreme Soviet of the Republic of Belarus adopted emblem Pahonia (Pursuit ) and the white-red-white flag as state symbols of our country. But the situation changed in 1995, when the head of state initiated a referendum resulting in introducing new symbols in the Soviet-like style.
After the 1995 referendum the white-red-white flag has been often associated with the opposition to the regime of Aliaksandr Lukashenka. The flag is not officially banned from public usage, but is treated by the authorities as an unregistered symbol which means that demonstration of it by political activists or sports fans can lead to arrests and confiscation of the flags.
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The current national flag of is a red and green flag with a white and red ornament pattern placed at the staff end. With a voter turnout of 64.7%, the new flag was approved by a majority in the ratio of three to one (75.1% to 24.9%). The way of carrying out the 1995 referendum as well as legality of questioning the national symbols on a referendum was heavily criticized by the opposition.
