Belarus declared independence 28 years ago
On 27 July 1990, the Supreme Council of the Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic (BSSR) passed the Declaration of the State Sovereignty. This day was marked as the official Independence Day until mid-1990s.
The declaration announced a full independence of BSSR in its domestic and foreign relations policy.
However, Belarus de facto continued to remain subordinate to Moscow as part of the Soviet Union. Only one year later, after the failed coup d'etat in Moscow in August 1991, the Declaration of Sovereignty received the status of a Constitutional Law.
The official Independence Day was celebration on this day in 1991-1996. After the 1996 referendum, Independence Day was shifted to 3 July, the day when the Soviet Army liberated Minsk from the Nazis in 1944.
