Estonian Restoration of Independence
August 1991 event where Estonia once again became independent
Estonian Restoration of Independence, legally defined as the Restoration of the Republic of Estonia, was proclaimed on 20 August 1991. On that day at 23:02 local time, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia, in agreement with the Estonian Committee (the executive organ of the Congress of Estonia), declared the illegal Soviet occupation and annexation of the country terminated, and proclaimed the full restoration of the independence of Estonia.
1990
On 30 March 1990, the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR adopted a resolution on the state status of Estonia. The resolution declared that the Soviet occupation of 17 June 1940 did not de jure interrupt the existence of the Republic of Estonia, the Supreme Soviet declared the state power of the Estonian SSR illegal from the moment of its establishment and proclaimed the start of a transitional period to full de facto independence pending the restoration of the constitutional bodies of state power of the Republic of Estonia. On 8 May the same year, the Supreme Soviet of the ESSR adopted a law invalidating the name "Estonian Soviet Socialist Republic". Also, according to this law, the use of the coat of arms, flag, and anthem of the Estonian SSR as state symbols was terminated and the 1938 Constitution of the independent Republic of Estonia was restored. The name of the Supreme Soviet is thereafter translated as the "Supreme Council". A week later the law on the principles of the interim order of administration of Estonia was adopted, according to which the subordination of public authorities, public administration, court bodies was terminated and the prosecutor's office of the republic to the relevant authorities of the USSR, and they separated from the corresponding system of the USSR. It was announced that relations between the republic and the USSR are now based on the Tartu Peace Treaty, concluded between the Republic of Estonia and the RSFSR on 2 February 1920.
Independence referendum of 3 March 1991
On 3 March, a referendum was held on the independence of the Republic of Estonia, which was attended by those who lived in Estonia before the Soviet annexation and their descendants, as well as persons who have received the so-called "green cards" of the Congress of Estonia. 77.8% of those who voted supported the idea of restoring independence.
“Estonian Restoration of Independence” enters the record as august 1991 event where Estonia once again became independent. Crown Archives preserves that source wording while asking what Estonian, Restoration and Independence can confirm, complicate or overturn.
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The record creator and administrative purpose are central evidence, because official documentation reflects both action and institutional priorities. The source revision retrieved here is dated Jan 6, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q16631950. None of the 0 selected statements returned an explicit reference. The first chronological checks are 1991, 1990, 1940 and 1938.
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