1995 Belarus Referendum
Encyclopedia
A four-question referendum was held in Belarus
on 14 May 1995, alongside parliamentary elections
. The four issues were the possibility of giving the Russian language
equal status with Belarusian
, whether new national symbols should be adopted, whether there should be economic integration with Russia
and changes to the constitution that would allow early elections if Parliament systematically violated the constitution. All four were approved by at least three-quarters of voters, with a turnout of 64.8%.
had tried to hold a similar referendum on state symbols in 1993, but had failed to obtain parliamentary support. Two months before the May 1995 referendum, Lukashenko proposed a flag design that consisted of two small bars of green and one wide bar of red. While it is not known what became of this suggestion, new designs (called "projects" in Belarus) were suggested a few days later, which were then put up to vote.
On 11 April 1995 Parliament considered the questions for the referendum, approved the date, but approved only the question regarding economic integration with Russia. Lukashenko declared that he would not change his decision and would accept personal responsibility for the referendum, and left the Parliament, announcing that it would be his last discussions with Parliament in its current form. Nineteen MPs from the Belarusian Popular Front, including Zenon Paznyak, Piatro Sadoǔski
and others, decided to carry out a hunger strike
within Parliament, protesting against the president organizing the referendum despite the parliament's decision. They were beaten and forcibly removed by OMON
. The parliamentarians sued the special forces for battery
but were unsuccessful.
A conciliatory commission was called upon to resolve the conflict between the President and Parliament, which was eventually decided in favour of the President.
According Siarhiej Navumchyk, the 1995 referendum was illegal and thus its results have no legal power:
issued a statement supporting the official results of the referendum that promoted the status of Russian language
in Belarus.
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly stated that the referendum has violated international standards and noted concerns over governmental control over the media, interference with the voting process, obstacles to the opposition's activities. The US Department of State also criticized the Belarusian government for this referendum.
were signed by President on 7 July 1995.
Belarus
Belarus , officially the Republic of Belarus, is a landlocked country in Eastern Europe, bordered clockwise by Russia to the northeast, Ukraine to the south, Poland to the west, and Lithuania and Latvia to the northwest. Its capital is Minsk; other major cities include Brest, Grodno , Gomel ,...
on 14 May 1995, alongside parliamentary elections
Belarusian parliamentary election, 1995
Parliamentary elections were held in Belarus on 14 May 1995 alongside a multi-question referendum, with further rounds on 28 May, 29 November and 10 December. The majority of candidates elected were independents, although 62 seats remained unfilled due to insufficient voter turnout...
. The four issues were the possibility of giving the Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
equal status with Belarusian
Belarusian language
The Belarusian language , sometimes referred to as White Russian or White Ruthenian, is the language of the Belarusian people...
, whether new national symbols should be adopted, whether there should be economic integration with Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and changes to the constitution that would allow early elections if Parliament systematically violated the constitution. All four were approved by at least three-quarters of voters, with a turnout of 64.8%.
Background
President Alexander LukashenkoAlexander Lukashenko
Alexander Grigoryevich Lukashenko has been serving as the President of Belarus since 20 July 1994. Before his career as a politician, Lukashenko worked as director of a state-owned agricultural farm. Under Lukashenko's rule, Belarus has come to be viewed as a state whose conduct is out of line...
had tried to hold a similar referendum on state symbols in 1993, but had failed to obtain parliamentary support. Two months before the May 1995 referendum, Lukashenko proposed a flag design that consisted of two small bars of green and one wide bar of red. While it is not known what became of this suggestion, new designs (called "projects" in Belarus) were suggested a few days later, which were then put up to vote.
On 11 April 1995 Parliament considered the questions for the referendum, approved the date, but approved only the question regarding economic integration with Russia. Lukashenko declared that he would not change his decision and would accept personal responsibility for the referendum, and left the Parliament, announcing that it would be his last discussions with Parliament in its current form. Nineteen MPs from the Belarusian Popular Front, including Zenon Paznyak, Piatro Sadoǔski
Piatro Sadoǔski
Dr. Piatro Sadoŭski is a Belarusian linguist, politician and diplomat.Between 1992 and 1994 Sadoǔski served as first ambassador of independent Belarus to Germany...
and others, decided to carry out a hunger strike
Hunger strike
A hunger strike is a method of non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political protest, or to provoke feelings of guilt in others, usually with the objective to achieve a specific goal, such as a policy change. Most hunger strikers will take liquids but not...
within Parliament, protesting against the president organizing the referendum despite the parliament's decision. They were beaten and forcibly removed by OMON
OMON
OMOH is a generic name for the system of special units of militsiya within the Russian and earlier the Soviet MVD...
. The parliamentarians sued the special forces for battery
Battery (crime)
Battery is a criminal offense involving unlawful physical contact, distinct from assault which is the fear of such contact.In the United States, criminal battery, or simply battery, is the use of force against another, resulting in harmful or offensive contact...
but were unsuccessful.
A conciliatory commission was called upon to resolve the conflict between the President and Parliament, which was eventually decided in favour of the President.
Russian language status
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 4,017,273 | 86.8 |
| Against | 613,516 | 13.2 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 192,693 | – |
| Total | 4,823,482 | 100 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||
Integration with Russia
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 3,622,851 | 78.6 |
| Against | 988,839 | 21.4 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 211,792 | – |
| Total | 4,823,482 | 100 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||
State symbols
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 4,020,001 | 87.0 |
| Against | 602,144 | 13..0 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 201,337 | – |
| Total | 4,823,482 | 100 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||
Parliament dismissal
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
| For | 3,749,266 | 81.4 |
| Against | 857,485 | 18.6 |
| Invalid/blank votes | 216,731 | – |
| Total | 4,823,482 | 100 |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver | ||
Opposition criticism
The Opposition raised a number of concerns regarding the referendum.- The referendum was preceded by a heavy campaign in the overwhelmingly state-owned media that stressed the fact that the then current emblem was used by Nazi collaborators (Belarusian Central RadaBelarusian Central RadaThe Belarusian Central Rada was nominally the government of Belarus from 1943–44. It was a collaborationist government established by Nazi Germany within the occupation and colonial administration of Reichskommissariat Ostland.- Timeline :...
) during the Great Patriotic War. For example, the first leader of the post-Soviet Belarus, Stanislau Shushkevich, in his interview mentioned that PahoniaPahoniaThe Pahonia , transliteration: Pahonya, , Lithuanian: Vytis, Pagaunė, is a historical symbol of Grand Duchy of Lithuania, of which the eastern part later became known as Belarus...
was called a "fascist symbol". - Before the final announcement of the results of the referendum, Lukashenko's Chief of Administration Ivan Titenkov personally hoisted down the old flag from the Palace of Government and shredded it in public.
- The referendum question was formulated in a vague way: a number of people claimed to have voted in the belief that the "new" symbols were the ones already introduced in 1992
- The number of voters who approved the symbols, as only 48.6% of the total electorate approved of the new emblem, since over a third of the eligible voters did not express an opinion. Some claim that this failure to win a majority is a violation of the ConstitutionConstitution of BelarusThe Constitution of the Republic of Belarus is the ultimate law of Belarus. Adopted in 1994, three years after the country declared its independence from the Soviet Union, this formal document establishes the framework of the Belarusian state and government and enumerates the rights and freedoms...
, but the imperfection and incompleteness of the Belarusian Law did not resolve the issue (in particular, the Constitution does not define the acceptance threshold). - Finally, the Partyja BNF and other influential opposition parties state that the referendum, followed by mass closing of Belarusian languageBelarusian languageThe Belarusian language , sometimes referred to as White Russian or White Ruthenian, is the language of the Belarusian people...
schools and minimizing of Belarusian language programmes on national TV and radio, has had a harmful effect on the Belarusian language and culture.
According Siarhiej Navumchyk, the 1995 referendum was illegal and thus its results have no legal power:
- According to the 1995 Law on national referendums (Закон аб усенародным галасаваньні (рэфэрэндуме)), the national symbols and official language were not allowed to be questioned on a referendum at all;
- Formalities of approval of the referendum by the Parliament have not been carried out;
- The opposition had limited access to media, observers from the opposition have reported fraud in vote counts.
International reaction
The Russian State DumaState Duma
The State Duma , common abbreviation: Госду́ма ) in the Russian Federation is the lower house of the Federal Assembly of Russia , the upper house being the Federation Council of Russia. The Duma headquarters is located in central Moscow, a few steps from Manege Square. Its members are referred to...
issued a statement supporting the official results of the referendum that promoted the status of Russian language
Russian language
Russian is a Slavic language used primarily in Russia, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. It is an unofficial but widely spoken language in Ukraine, Moldova, Latvia, Turkmenistan and Estonia and, to a lesser extent, the other countries that were once constituent republics...
in Belarus.
The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly stated that the referendum has violated international standards and noted concerns over governmental control over the media, interference with the voting process, obstacles to the opposition's activities. The US Department of State also criticized the Belarusian government for this referendum.
Aftermath
The decrees about the new state flag and new coat of armsCoat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
were signed by President on 7 July 1995.