July 3 — Independence Day of Republic of Belarus

Today is the Independence Day of the Republic of Belarus or the Day of Republic. Festive actions will take place in the capital. Thousands of people are going to participate in the actions.  A modest military parade took place on the morning of July 3 (there were no airplanes or military equipment shown).

Alyaksandr Lukashenka made a speech before the parade started. He claimed that the expansion of NATO and the planned disposition of elements of the American anti-aircraft defense in Europe were threatening the national interests of Belarus.

Sportsmen took part in the parade together with soldiers. Parachutists carrying flags of Minsk and the Republic of Belarus landed near the Avenue of the Victors.

Let us remind you that before 1996 the Independence Day was officially celebrated by the authorities on July 27, the day when the Supreme Court of Belarus adopted the declaration on sovereignty in 1990.

But A.Lukashenka changed the date after a referendum in 1996. The Day of the Belarusian Republic has been celebrated on July 3 since then. It is the day when German occupants were ousted from our country by the Soviet Army in 1944.


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