| Independence referendum | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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“Do you agree that the Republic of Armenia be an independent democratic state outside the USSR?”
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| Source - Direct Democracy | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
YesA referendum on independence was held in Armenia on September 21, 1991. It addressed the issue of independence of the republic from the USSR [1] . 99.5% of voters voted to declare independence with a turnout of 95% [2] .
Context
On August 23, 1990, the Supreme Council of the Armenian SSR adopted the “Declaration of Independence of Armenia”, which marked the beginning of the process of establishing independent statehood. It was announced that the Republic of Armenia is a sovereign state endowed with independence. The Constitution of the USSR and the laws of the USSR on the territory of the republic terminated. In order to ensure its security and inviolability of borders, the Republic of Armenia created its own Armed Forces, internal troops, state and public security bodies subordinate to the Supreme Council [3] .
On March 1, 1991, despite the previously adopted declaration, the Supreme Council of Armenia decided to hold a referendum on secession from the USSR by submitting a popular vote to the following question: “Do you agree that the Republic of Armenia be an independent democratic state outside the USSR?” The referendum is scheduled for September 21, 1991. The Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Republic was granted the right “to take a decision on holding an early referendum in case of a sharp change in the situation” [4] .
On March 25, a conclusion was sent to the Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, where it was said that this decision complies with the requirements of the Law of the USSR of April 3, 1990 “On the Procedure for Solving Issues Related to the Exit of a Union Republic from the USSR” regarding the subject initiating a referendum (Article 2), the timing of its holding (not earlier than six, and no later than nine months after the decision to raise the question of the Union republic leaving the USSR (Part 3 of Article 2) [5] .
On August 5, the Chairman of the Supreme Council of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan sent a letter to the Chairman of the Supreme Council of the USSR Anatoly Lukyanov, in which he asked him in accordance with Article 5 of the Law of the USSR “On the Procedure for Solving Issues Related to the Exit of a Union Republic from the USSR” to resolve the issue of presence in the territory Armenia as observers of the authorized representatives of the USSR, Union and Autonomous Republics, autonomous entities, as well as invite representatives of the United Nations [6] .
On September 21, 1991, a referendum took place [7] . The majority of citizens with suffrage answered this question in the affirmative [8] .
According to the results of the referendum of September 23, 1991, the Supreme Council of Armenia confirmed the republic’s secession from the USSR [9] .
Notes
- ↑ D. Nohlen, F. Grotz, C. Hartmann (2001). Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p329 ISBN 0-19-924958-X
- ↑ D. Nohlen, F. Grotz, C. Hartmann (2001). Elections in Asia: A data handbook, Volume I, p332 ISBN 0-19-924958-X
- ↑ Declaration of Independence of Armenia
- ↑ s: Resolution of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia dated 01.03.1991
- ↑ s: Opinion on the decision of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia dated 01.03.1991
- ↑ s: Letter from the Chairman of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia to the Chairman of the Armed Forces of the USSR of 08/05/1991
- ↑ Referendum: points over “I” // Rossiyskaya Gazeta , September 21, 1991, No. 197 (243)
- ↑ Armenia also became independent // Izvestia , September 23, 1991, No. 227 (23493).
- ↑ Sergey Markedonov, Self-determination according to Leninist principles . APN (Political News Agency) (September 21, 2006). Date of treatment November 21, 2016.