Key facts about
Russia's national holiday celebrated on June 12.
MOSCOW, June 11.
/TASS/. Russia Day is a national holiday in the Russian Federation celebrated
annually on June 12. In accordance with the Russian Labor Code, it is an
official public holiday.
Declaration of State
Sovereignty
On June 12, 1990, the
1st Congress of People's Deputies of the Russian Soviet Federative Socialist
Republic (RSFSR, part of the Soviet Union) adopted the Declaration of State
Sovereignty of the RSFSR. The document declared the primacy of the Constitution
and the laws of the Russian republic over the Soviet Union’s legislation,
establishing equal rights for all citizens, political parties and
non-governmental organizations, the principle of separation of powers into
three branches, namely the legislative, executive and judicial and the
necessity to substantially expand the rights of the regions. The document also
stated that the Declaration is the basis to frame a new constitution. In all,
907 deputies voted to adopt the document, 13 voted against it, while 9
abstained. Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet Boris Yeltsin signed
the Declaration.
Holiday established
On June 11, 1992, the
Supreme Soviet of Russia published a decree designating June 12 as a public
holiday. On September 25, 1992, the corresponding amendments were introduced
into the Russian Labor Code.
Holiday’s history in
Russia
On Russia Day, the
country traditionally holds holiday concerts, mass open air celebrations and
sports events.
On June 12, 1995, the
holiday was celebrated for the first time. The first ceremony of awarding the
State Prizes (introduced in 1992-1993) in science and technology, literature
and the arts was held in the Kremlin on that day. In later years, the State Prize
awarding ceremonies on June 12 became a tradition. The holiday also received
the unofficial title of "Independence Day". This wording has never
been used in the official documents, but can be seen in the media, appears on
placards and banners.
In 1998, then Russian
President Boris Yeltsin proposed calling this day "Day of Adoption of the
Declaration of State Sovereignty of RSFSR" - Russia Day - in his address
to the nation broadcasted by the main TV channels. However, the holiday was
officially renamed only on February 1, 2002, when the new Labor Code came into
force with all the official public holidays set out.
Since 2001, Russia
Day has been celebrated with fireworks in Moscow and in other cities around the
country.
Source: ITAR-TASS
12-06-2019
