August 25 – Day of Restoration of Belarus’ Independence

Official newspaper Zvyazda, 1991.
Official newspaper Zvyazda, 1991.

August 25 is the unofficial Day of Restoration of Belarus’ Independence. The Supreme Council of Belarus turned the Declaration of State Sovereignty into a constitutional act in 1991 (the declaration was adopted don July 27, 1990). Our country became independent de facto. It happened after the failure of the 1991 Soviet coup d'état attempt.  Former Soviet republics started declaring their sovereignty. The Ukrainian Verkhovna Rada made the same decision a day earlier than Belarus – on August 24. It is the Independence Day in Ukraine. Belarus does not mark the date officially. It is celebrated by the democratic forces.