Republic of Estonia 1990-1991
Encyclopedia
The Republic of Estonia, short: Estonia (in Estonian
: Eesti Vabariik, short: Eesti) was a short-lived country located on the present territory of Estonia
, 1990 – 1991. The Republic of Estonia had land borders to the south with Latvian SSR
(339 km) and Soviet Union
(229 km) to the east.
On March 3, 1990, a referendum
was held on the question of Estonia’s independence
. 82.9 % of all the eligible voters took part, 77.8 of whom voted for independent Estonia (almost all Estonians
and about 30 % of non-Estonians).
The leadership of the Estonian SSR (independent) renamed the state The 'Republic of Estonia' again on May 8, 1990. On May 8 the Supreme Council passed the law on Estonian national symbols; Estonian SSR became the Republic of Estonia; blue-black-white were taken as state colours and the 1937 Constitution’s paragraph
s 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 were implemented. The first of them stated that ‘Estonia is an independent and sovereign
republic
where the highest power belongs to people
.’ Soon the previous independence period’s flag and coat of arms were made lawful. Moscow
’s proposal of a special status in the Soviet Union on the basis of a confederation pact, was rejected. A decision by the Estonian Supreme Council of May 16, 1990, established that the judicial system of the Republic of Estonia was to be founded on the will of the Estonian people and universally recognised norms of international law. Estonia gradually moved away from the Soviet Union: the legislative, executive
and court
power were separated from the corresponding Soviet institutions, the leading role of the Communist Party of Estland was abolished and a pluralist political system
was established. On the way to full independence, the victims of Soviet persecution
were rehabilitated, and the Estonian economic border
was fixed. With the privatisation of small enterprises
and restoration of farm
s, the country started its path
towards a market economy
. During the days of the August 1991 coup attempt the Estonian Supreme Council confirmed once more the national sovereignty
of the Republic of Estonia and requested that diplomatic relations be restored on the basis of continuity
.
Estonian language
Estonian is the official language of Estonia, spoken by about 1.1 million people in Estonia and tens of thousands in various émigré communities...
: Eesti Vabariik, short: Eesti) was a short-lived country located on the present territory of Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
, 1990 – 1991. The Republic of Estonia had land borders to the south with Latvian SSR
Latvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...
(339 km) and Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
(229 km) to the east.
On March 3, 1990, a referendum
Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. This may result in the adoption of a new constitution, a constitutional amendment, a law, the recall of an elected official or simply a specific government policy. It is a form of...
was held on the question of Estonia’s independence
Independence
Independence is a condition of a nation, country, or state in which its residents and population, or some portion thereof, exercise self-government, and usually sovereignty, over its territory....
. 82.9 % of all the eligible voters took part, 77.8 of whom voted for independent Estonia (almost all Estonians
Estonians
Estonians are a Finnic people closely related to the Finns and inhabiting, primarily, the country of Estonia. They speak a Finnic language known as Estonian...
and about 30 % of non-Estonians).
The leadership of the Estonian SSR (independent) renamed the state The 'Republic of Estonia' again on May 8, 1990. On May 8 the Supreme Council passed the law on Estonian national symbols; Estonian SSR became the Republic of Estonia; blue-black-white were taken as state colours and the 1937 Constitution’s paragraph
Paragraph
A paragraph is a self-contained unit of a discourse in writing dealing with a particular point or idea. A paragraph consists of one or more sentences. The start of a paragraph is indicated by beginning on a new line. Sometimes the first line is indented...
s 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 were implemented. The first of them stated that ‘Estonia is an independent and sovereign
Sovereign
A sovereign is the supreme lawmaking authority within its jurisdiction.Sovereign may also refer to:*Monarch, the sovereign of a monarchy*Sovereign Bank, banking institution in the United States*Sovereign...
republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
where the highest power belongs to people
People
People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:* as the plural of person or a group of people People is a plurality of human beings or other beings possessing enough qualities constituting personhood. It has two usages:*...
.’ Soon the previous independence period’s flag and coat of arms were made lawful. Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
’s proposal of a special status in the Soviet Union on the basis of a confederation pact, was rejected. A decision by the Estonian Supreme Council of May 16, 1990, established that the judicial system of the Republic of Estonia was to be founded on the will of the Estonian people and universally recognised norms of international law. Estonia gradually moved away from the Soviet Union: the legislative, executive
Executive (government)
Executive branch of Government is the part of government that has sole authority and responsibility for the daily administration of the state bureaucracy. The division of power into separate branches of government is central to the idea of the separation of powers.In many countries, the term...
and court
Court
A court is a form of tribunal, often a governmental institution, with the authority to adjudicate legal disputes between parties and carry out the administration of justice in civil, criminal, and administrative matters in accordance with the rule of law...
power were separated from the corresponding Soviet institutions, the leading role of the Communist Party of Estland was abolished and a pluralist political system
Political system
A political system is a system of politics and government. It is usually compared to the legal system, economic system, cultural system, and other social systems...
was established. On the way to full independence, the victims of Soviet persecution
Persecution
Persecution is the systematic mistreatment of an individual or group by another group. The most common forms are religious persecution, ethnic persecution, and political persecution, though there is naturally some overlap between these terms. The inflicting of suffering, harassment, isolation,...
were rehabilitated, and the Estonian economic border
Border
Borders define geographic boundaries of political entities or legal jurisdictions, such as governments, sovereign states, federated states and other subnational entities. Some borders—such as a state's internal administrative borders, or inter-state borders within the Schengen Area—are open and...
was fixed. With the privatisation of small enterprises
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
and restoration of farm
Farm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
s, the country started its path
Path
Path, pathway or PATH may refer to:-Path:* Course , the intended path of a vehicle over the surface of the Earth* Trail, hiking trail, footpath, or bridle path...
towards a market economy
Market economy
A market economy is an economy in which the prices of goods and services are determined in a free price system. This is often contrasted with a state-directed or planned economy. Market economies can range from hypothetically pure laissez-faire variants to an assortment of real-world mixed...
. During the days of the August 1991 coup attempt the Estonian Supreme Council confirmed once more the national sovereignty
National sovereignty
National sovereignty is the doctrine that sovereignty belongs to and derives from the nation, an abstract entity normally linked to a physical territory and its past, present, and future citizens. It is an ideological concept or doctrine derived from liberal political theory...
of the Republic of Estonia and requested that diplomatic relations be restored on the basis of continuity
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
.
See also
- EstoniaEstoniaEstonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
- Estonian SSR
- History of EstoniaHistory of EstoniaEstonia was settled near the end of the last glacial era, beginning from around 8500 BC. Before the German invasions in the 13th century proto-Estonians of the Ancient Estonia worshipped the spirits of nature...
- Demographics of EstoniaDemographics of EstoniaThe demographics of Estonia in the twenty-first century are the result of historical trends over more than a thousand years, just as for most European countries, but have been disproportionately affected by events in the last half of the twentieth century...