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Do you agree that the Republic of Armenia should be an independent democratic state outside of the USSR? | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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Anindependence referendum was held in theArmenia SSR on 21 September 1991 to determine whether to secede from theSoviet Union.[1] It followed a declaration of independence on 23 August 1990.[2] 99.5% of voters voted in favour, with a turnout of 95%.[3] The countryofficially became an independent state on 23 September 1991.[4]
TheMay 1990 Armenian Supreme Soviet election resulted in the formation of a non-Communist government led byLevon Ter-Petrosyan, chairman of thePan-Armenian National Movement.[5]
On 23 August 1990, theSupreme Soviet of the Armenian SSR adopted theDeclaration of State Sovereignty of Armenia, which marked the beginning of the process of establishing independent statehood. It was declared that the Republic of Armenia was a sovereign state endowed with independence. TheConstitution of the USSR and thelaws of the USSR ceased to apply in the territory of the Republic. In order to ensure its security and inviolability of its borders, the Republic of Armenia established its own Armed Forces, internal troops, state and public security bodies subordinate to the Supreme Soviet.[2]
In December 1990,Mikhail Gorbachev proposed a referendum on the continuation of the Soviet Union, as a federative state. The Ter-Petrosyan government rejected the proposal on 1 March 1991 and decided instead to hold a referendum on independence.[5]
The referendum was scheduled for 21 September 1991. The Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Republic was given the right "in case of a sharp change in the situation to decide on an early referendum".[6]
On 21 September 1991, the referendum was held. The majority of citizens with the right to vote answered this question in the affirmative.
On 23 September 1991, the Supreme Council of Armenia confirmed the republic's secession from the USSR based on the results of the referendum.[4]
| Choice | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| For | 2,042,627 | 99.51 | |
| Against | 10,002 | 0.49 | |
| Total | 2,052,629 | 100.00 | |
| Valid votes | 2,052,629 | 99.80 | |
| Invalid/blank votes | 4,129 | 0.20 | |
| Total votes | 2,056,758 | 100.00 | |
| Registered voters/turnout | 2,163,967 | 95.05 | |
| Source:Direct Democracy | |||
Following the referendum, Soviet presidentMikhail Gorbachev unsuccessfully attempted to persuade Armenia to join theUnion of Soviet Sovereign Republics. However, the Armenian government signed an economic treaty with Russia that created afree-trade zone.[7]
Levon Ter-Petrosyan was elected the first president of Armenia in November 1991 and Armenia formally gained independence on 26 December 1991.
In a separate referendum, around 99% of ethnic Armenians in theNagorno-Karabakh regionvoted for independence from Azerbaijan.Artur Mkrtchyan was chosen as president of the region following the 28 December 1991parliamentary elections. On 2 January 1992 President Mutalibov of Azerbaijan placed the region under direct presidential rule, and the region formally declared its independence from the nation four days later on 6 January.[8]
Prior to the 1991 referendum, conflict had started in the Nagorno-Karabakh region in 1988, with the referendum soon causing an escalation into a long phase of war within theNagorno-Karabakh conflict.
| Parliamentary elections | |
|---|---|
| Presidential elections | |
| Local elections | |
| Referendums | |
 Independence and autonomy referendums in the Soviet Union and post-Soviet states | |
|---|---|
| 1991 | |
| 1992 | |
| Autonomy | |
| See also | |
