Turning the pages back...

July 16, 1990

Ten years ago to the day, on July 16, 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic proclaimed Ukraine's state sovereignty. The vote for this historic proclamation was an overwhelming 355 for and four against; and the act was greeted by the people's deputies with a standing ovation. Later that day, the deputies voted 339-5 to proclaim July 16 a national holiday in Ukraine.

Following is the Preamble to the Declaration on State Sovereignty of Ukraine (as published by The Ukrainian Weekly).

Preamble

The Supreme Soviet of the Ukrainian SSR,

• expressing the will of the people of Ukraine;
• striving to create a democratic society;
• acting on the need for all-encompassing guarantees of the rights and freedoms of man;
• respecting the national rights of all nations;
• caring about the full-fledged political, economic, social and spiritual development of the people of Ukraine;
• recognizing the necessity of establishing a lawful state;
• having as a goal the affirmation of the sovereignty and self-rule of the people of Ukraine;

PROCLAIMS

the state sovereignty of Ukraine as supremacy, independence, fullness and indivisibility of the republic's authority within the boundaries of its territory, and its independence and equality in external relations.

Source: "Declaration on State Sovereignty of Ukraine" (translated by Roma Hadzewycz, The Ukrainian Weekly) and "Ukraine proclaims sovereignty," The Ukrainian Weekly, July 22, 1990, Vol. LVIII, No. 29.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 16, 2000, No. 29, Vol. LXVIII

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