Turning the pages back... August 24, 1991 (08/23/98)

Turning the pages back...

August 24, 1991

Seven years ago on August 24, the Supreme Soviet (Council) of Ukraine voted to proclaim the republic's independence from the Soviet Union. The vote - which came just days after the failed coup in Moscow that reverberated around the globe - was the beginning of the end of the USSR.

Following are excerpts from The Weekly's news story about that historic day, as filed from our Kyiv Press Bureau by Chrystyna Lapychak.

* * *

The Communist-dominated Ukrainian Parliament's vote for independence came as a big surprise to the majority of citizens of this nation of 52 million.

During the tense 11-hour extraordinary session on August 24, the heated debate focused on the behavior of parliamentary, government and Communist Party leaders during the failed Moscow coup of August 19-21.

Several thousand people gathered in front of the Supreme Soviet building and shouted "Shame on Kravchuk" as the Parliament's chairman addressed the session, defending his cautious actions during the crisis. His address was followed by speeches by Communist majority leader Oleksander Moroz and National Council leader Ihor Yukhnovsky.

Mr. Yukhnovsky presented the National Council's list of legislation in reaction to the coup: immediate declaration of independence; depoliticization of the Ukrainian Procuracy, KGB, Interior Ministry and militia, state organs, institutions and workplaces, central television, radio and press; the immediate release of imprisoned People's Deputy Stepan Khmara and reversal of last November's vote stripping Dr. Khmara of the official immunity; the firing of Ukrainian SSR Chief Procurator Mykhailo Potebenko and Ukrainian TV chief Mykola Okhmakevych for complicity with the coup regime; and the creation of a special commission to investigate the actions of officials during the botched overthrow.

As thousands of flag-waving Ukrainians outside chanted "independence," the debate inside lasted for hours; several breaks were called to alleviate the tension and allow the majority and minority groups to hold strategy meetings.

After Volodymyr Yavorivsky proposed the vote on independence, reading aloud the text of the resolution and act on the declaration of independence, Parliament Chairman Leonid Kravchuk called a one-hour break, when the Communist majority met and debated the historic issue.

During their debate it appeared that most of the Communists felt there was no choice other than a decision to secede and, as they expressed it, distance themselves from the events in Moscow, particularly the strong anti-Communist movement in the Russian Parliament.

"If we don't vote for independence, it will be a disaster," said Ukrainian Communist Party chief Stanislav Hurenko during the debate.

Toward the end of the debate, two representatives from the National Council, Mr. Yavorivsky and Dmytro Pavlychko, came to the majority meeting to propose a compromise: a clause in the resolution requiring a nationwide referendum on independence on December 1.

After the break, at 5:55 p.m., the Supreme Soviet of Ukraine voted 321 to 2, with 6 abstentions, out of 360, for the Act of Declaration of the Independence of Ukraine and "the creation of an independent Ukrainian state - Ukraine."

At 6 p.m., the Ukrainian Parliament voted 346 to 1, with 3 abstentions (out of 362), for the resolution declaring Ukraine an independent, democratic state, effective immediately, and calling for a republican referendum on December 1.

Expressions of euphoria from the crowd gathered outside could be heard coming through the windows to the foyer, and could occasionally be heard as the doors into the session hall were opened.

Source: "Ukraine declares independence" by Chrystyna Lapychak, The Ukrainian Weekly, September 1, 1991, Vol. LIX, No. 35.

| Home Page |