On September 20, South Ossetia celebrates the 35th anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic. This is a significant date for the Ossetian people, a vital and fundamental event in the history of the formation of the Republic of South Ossetia as an independent and sovereign state.
Thirty-five years ago, when the Council of People's Deputies of the South Ossetian Autonomous Region adopted the Declaration of State Sovereignty, which proclaimed the formation of the South Ossetian Soviet Democratic Republic as part of the USSR, South Ossetia embarked on the path of building its own state.
The process of South Ossetia's sovereignty was carried out in an exclusively democratic manner, in full accordance with the spirit and letter of the legislation of the USSR in force at that time, and was based on the inalienable right of peoples to self-determination. The proclamation of South Ossetia's statehood was motivated by the actual collapse of the USSR, the illegal revocation of South Ossetia's autonomous status by the Georgian authorities, the armed aggression and attempts to seize South Ossetia's territory, as well as the systematic extermination of the Ossetians defending their right to freedom, human dignity and, finally, the right to life.
In those extremely challenging circumstances, responsible and timely political decisions were taken, which ultimately led to the legal establishment of a new state. These included the adoption of the Declaration of Independence of the Republic of South Ossetia on December 21, 1991, the holding of a referendum on independence, the adoption of the Act of Proclamation of State Independence of the Republic of South Ossetia and the first Constitution.
The past years have confirmed the historical necessity of the actions taken and clearly demonstrated that there was no alternative to the choice made as the only correct step to protect the southern branch of the Ossetian people from the threat of physical extermination and forced assimilation.
South Ossetia has gone through a difficult path of formation, enduring all kinds of hardships and suffering irreparable losses. On August 26, 2008, the long struggle of the Ossetian people was crowned with victory. On that day, after the completion of the operation to force the aggressor to peace, the President of the Russian Federation signed a historic decree recognizing the state independence of the Republic of South Ossetia. Time has shown that the Russian Federation was and remains a reliable ally of South Ossetia, a guarantor of its peaceful and secure development.
Happy Republic Day, dear citizens!
20 September, 2025