On 19 September 1991, the white-red-white flag and emblem Pahonya (Pursuit) were officially recognized state symbols of the Republic of Belarus. Such resolution was passed by the Supreme Soviet of the 12th convocation after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
The earliest Pahonya of which we have knowledge is represented on the seal of Prince Alexander Nevsky (13th century) who was married to the daughter of the Prince of Polatsk.
According to some historians, Pahonya was originally the emblem of the Polatsk State.
The symbols the Belarusian people have had throughout its history:
Pahonya and the white-red-white flag were symbols of the Belarusian National Republic (BNR). On March 25, 1918 the Provisional government (Rada) proclaimed the independence of the BNR that came into existence at the end of the First World War, when Bolshevik forces left Minsk and the city was occupied by German troops. After the Red Army re-entered Minsk, the Communist government replaced the Rada; its members had to emigrate. Opposition activists and civil society actors celebrate the anniversary of the proclamation of the BNR annually.
But in 1995 they were replaced by those reminiscent of Soviet symbolism.
After the 1995 referendum the white-red-white flag has been often associated with the opposition to the regime of Alyaksandr Lukashenka. The white-red-white 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.
Read also: Election over? Football fans arrested for scarves with ‘Pahonya’ to be tried in court
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.
Since the 2000s, Pahonya has been on the list of the Cultural Heritage of Belarus.
Read also: ‘Pahonya Close To Us’: Medvedev, Kabyakou under historical emblem of Belarusians
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