35 years ago, as chaos gripped Moscow, Latvia restored its independence de facto

Today marks exactly 35 years since Latvia took a decisive step toward the full restoration of its independence. On August 21, 1991, the outcome of the coup attempt that had begun in Moscow against the Soviet leadership was still unclear. It was precisely at this moment of uncertainty that the Supreme Council of the Republic of Latvia adopted a constitutional law on the state status of the Republic of Latvia.

The decision marked a major turning point: it fully restored Latvia's independence de facto, closing out the transitional period that had begun with the declaration of independence in May 1990. The law was passed while it remained unclear how the coup's outcome in Moscow would affect the fate of the Baltic states, and whether the Soviet Union would attempt to suppress independence efforts by force.

A historian's perspective

Marking the anniversary, LSM's Russian-language service spoke with historian Una Bergmane about the events of 1991 and their significance for Latvian statehood. The conversation addresses how events might have unfolded had the August coup in Moscow succeeded and Soviet conservative forces retained power.

The August 21 decision is remembered today as one of the pivotal moments in Latvia's path to restored independence, alongside the May 4, 1990 declaration. It symbolizes the moment when Latvia's leadership used the political instability in Moscow to cement the country's state independence irreversibly.