On July 27, 1990 the Supreme Council of the Byelorusian SSR adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty to assert the republic’s independence from the Soviet Union.
The Declaration started the process to Belarus’ eventual independence in August, 1991.
The Declaration proclaimed the complete independence of the Byelorussian SSR, the supremacy, independence and completeness of the state power of the republic within the borders of its territory, authority of its laws and independence in all external relations.
On September, 19 the country got the official name – the Republic of Belarus, the white-red-white flag and the coat of arms ‘Pahonia ’ (Pursuit) became its state symbols.
July, 27 was celebrated as the Independence Day of Belarus in 1991-1996, but after the referendum of 1996, July, 3 – the day of liberation of Minsk from the Nazis – started to be considered as the official Independence Day.
In our archival video Mechyslau Hryb, ex-chairman of the Supreme Council, tells how Belarus and Belarusians welcomed independence:
