July 28, 2004 BELARUSIAN POPULAR FRONT NOTES ANNIVERSARY OF INDEPENDENCE
Vintsuk Vyachorka, leader of the opposition Belarusian Popular Front (BPF), issued a statement to Belarusians marking the 14th anniversary of the declaration of Belarus' independence, BelaPAN reported on 27 July. "The declaration was adopted thanks to consistent and tactically verified actions of the BPF faction in the Supreme Soviet," Vyachorka said in his address, adding that he believes 27 July will be a major Belarusian holiday in the future. The Supreme Soviet of Belarusian Soviet Socialist Republic declared the state sovereign on 27 July 1990. Belarus celebrated that date as independence day from 1991 to 1995. The 1996 referendum moved the holiday to 3 July ? the date of Minsk's liberation from Nazi German invaders.
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