On August 25, The Independence Of Belarus Became Law

• 25.08.2025, 9:46

34 years ago, the Supreme Soviet of the BSSR made a historic decision.

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

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

The vote took place at the session, which was convened immediately after the defeat of the August putsch in Moscow. Under pressure from the BPF parliamentary opposition led by Zenon Pazniak, the majority of the Supreme Soviet deputies voted in favor of Belarus' de jure independence. De facto, Belarus gained independence in December 1991, after signing the Belovezhskiye Agreements, which resulted in the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Belarus does not officially celebrate August 25, while, for example, in Ukraine, this event (the Declaration gained the status of a constitutional law) is celebrated as the state Independence Day.