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1990 USSR Law on Secession
Concerning the procedure of secession of a Soviet
Republic from the Union of Soviet
Socialist Republics.
The law of the USSR of April 3, 1990 (Register of
the Congress of the People's Deputies of
USSR and Supreme Soviet of USSR. 1990, issue No. 13, p. 252)
Article 1.
The procedure of secession of a Soviet Republic from the USSR is conducted
in accordance with the Article 72 of the Constitution of the USSR under
the present Law.
Article 2.
The decision on secession of a Soviet Republic from the USSR is made
by the will of the people of that Soviet Republic by means of a referendum.
The decision to conduct a referendum is to be ratified
by the Supreme Soviet of a Soviet Republic based either on its own will
or on the request made by the 10% of permanent residents who have a
right to vote according to the USSR laws.
The referendum is to be conducted according to the
referendum law of the USSR, referendum law of a given Soviet or autonomous
Republic if they do not contradict this law.
The referendum is to be conducted by a secret vote
not earlier than 6 months and not later than 9 months after the decision
to conduct the secession referendum has been made by a Soviet Republic.
Citizens of the USSR, permanently residing on the
territory of the Republic by the time the decision to conduct a referendum
is made and who have a right to vote according to the USSR laws, have
a right to participate in the referendum.
No agitation on the subject of the referendum is allowed
during the course of the referendum.
Article 3.
In case the Soviet Republic has autonomous republics, autonomous regions
or autonomous territories within its borders, referendums are to be
conducted separately in each of the autonomies. The people residing
in the autonomies are given a right to independently decide whether
to remain in the Soviet Union or in the seceding Republic as well as
to decide on their state legal status.
Referendum results are to be considered separately
for the territory of a Soviet Republic with a compactly settled ethnic
minority population, which constitutes majority on that particular territory
of the Republic.
Article 4.
For the purpose of organizing, deciding the dates, and reviewing the
results of a secession referendum, the Supreme Soviet of the given Republic
is to form a commission with participation of all interested parties,
including the ones mentioned in the first and second parts of the Article
3 of this law.
Article 5.
To guarantee free expression of the will of the peoples of Soviet Republics
during the preparation, the course and the review of the results of
a referendum on secession from the USSR, the Supreme Soviet of USSR
with consent of the Supreme Soviet of the given Soviet Republic provides
for observers representing the USSR, Soviet and autonomous republics
and autonomous entities. The Supreme Council of the USSR may, if it
finds necessary, invite observers from the United Nations to the territory
of a given Republic.
Article 6.
Decision of a Soviet Republic to secede from the USSR must be made by
means of a referendum if so voted by not less than two-thirds of the
citizens of the USSR, who permanently resided on the territory of the
Republic and are eligible to vote in accordance with laws of the USSR
by the time the decision was made to conduct a referendum on secession
from the Soviet Union.
Results of a referendum are to be reviewed by the
Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Republic. In a republic, which has autonomous
republics, autonomous regions, autonomous territories or territories
with compactly settled national minority population as mentioned in
Article 3 of the present Law within its borders, the results of the
referendum are to be reviewed by the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Republic
jointly with the Supreme Soviet of the autonomous republic and respective
Soviets of People's Deputies.
The Supreme Soviet of a Soviet Republic then submits
the results of the referendum to the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The
Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Republic which has autonomous republics,
autonomous regions, autonomous territories or territories with a compactly
settled national minority population within its borders as mentioned
in second part of Article 3 of the present Law submits the results for
each autonomous republic, autonomous region, autonomous territory or
territory with a compactly settled national minority population to the
Supreme Soviet of the USSR separately along with necessary conclusions
and suggestions made by respective state authorities. If it is verified
that the referendum is conducted in accordance with the law, the Supreme
Soviet of the USSR takes it to the Congress of the People's Deputies
of USSR for review.
Article 7.
In case the law is violated during the course of the referendum, the
Supreme Soviet of the USSR makes a decision to conduct a second referendum,
not later than in the course of three months in a given Republic, or
one of its parts, or an autonomous entity, or the territory with a compactly
settled national minority population as mentioned in the second part
of Article 3 of this law.
Article 8.
The Supreme Soviet of the USSR forwards the results of the referendum
on secession of a Soviet Republic from the USSR along with the suggestions
made by the interested parties to the highest state authorities of all
Soviet and autonomous republics as well as to the state authorities
of autonomous entities for the purpose of study and evaluation of possible
consequences for each Soviet and autonomous republic as well as autonomous
entity in the event the actual secession of a respective Soviet Republic
from the USSR takes place.
Article 9.
Results of a referendum on secession of a Soviet Republic from the USSR,
as well as the opinion of the highest state authorities of Soviet, autonomous
Republics as well as the state authorities of autonomous regions and
territories is to be reviewed by the Congress of People's Deputies of
the USSR. Upon the presentation of results by the Supreme Soviet in
conformity with the Supreme Soviet of a seceding Republic, the Congress
of People's Deputies sets an interim period, which is not to exceed
five years and during which problems arising in connection with the
secession of the Republic from the USSR are to be resolved.
During that interim period the Constitution of the
USSR as well as all other USSR Laws are to be in full effect.
Article 10.
In case the Republic did not pass the decision to secede from the USSR
based on results of the referendum, a new referendum on the same issue
may be conducted not earlier than 10 years after the previous referendum
took place.
Article 11.
The Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Supreme Soviets of Soviet Republics
and the body of the highest state authority of the seceding republic
are to form coordinating committees for the interim period in order
to guarantee the rights and interests of the Soviet Union, the seceding
as well as other republics, autonomous entities and ethnic groups as
mentioned in part two of Article 3 of the present law.
Article 12.
During the interim period, the Council of Ministers of the USSR with
the participation of the government of the seceding republic prepares
suggestions on issues concerning the State borders of the USSR, as well
as the military installations and bases of the Armed Forces of the USSR
located on the territory of the seceding republic and submits them for
review to the President of the USSR and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR,
who thereafter submit suggestions to the Congress of the People's Deputies
of the USSR for review.
Article 13.
The seceding republic is to observe universally recognized principles
and norms of international law, human rights and freedoms as mentioned
in the international conventions to which USSR is a party. The issue
of participation of the seceding republic in the open-to-join multilateral
agreements, which were signed by the USSR, is to be decided according
to the rules and regulation of a given agreement. Multilateral and bilateral
agreements, which were signed by the USSR and which are still in effect
at the time of secession of a Soviet Republic from the USSR are to have
a full effect on the seceding republic if not agreed otherwise.
The Council of Ministers of the USSR submits its conclusions
to the President of the USSR and the Supreme Soviet of the USSR upon
reviewing and regulating all issues concerning the participation of
the USSR in international agreements in connection with the secession
of a Soviet Republic.
Article 14.
During the interim period the Council of Ministers of the USSR, bodies
of state government of
Soviet and autonomous republics, autonomous entities jointly with the
government of the seceding republic settle the issues of property and
financial matters.
During the interim period the following issues are
to be resolved between the seceding republic and the USSR as well as
between the seceding republic and other Soviet Republics, autonomous
republics, autonomous entities and national groups as defined in part
two of Article 3 of the present Law:
1. The status of the Soviet property on the territory of the seceding
republic (industrial enterprises and complexes of industry, space research,
energy, communication, sea, rail and air transportation, pipelines,
property of the Armed Forces of the USSR, defense and other installations),
as well as the property of all-Soviet non-governmental organizations;
2. The property, financial and credit relations of the seceding republic
with the USSR;
3. The property, financial and credit relations of the seceding republic
with other Soviet Republics as well as with autonomous republic and
autonomous entities;
4. The procedure of completing the agreements signed between the industrial
enterprises and organizations located on the territory of the seceding
Republic and industrial enterprises and organizations located on the
territory of other Soviet Republics, autonomous republics or autonomous
entities;
5. The legal status and forms of settling accounts of joint enterprises
and subsidiaries of enterprises created on the bases of the USSR property
and property of other Soviet republics, autonomous republics or autonomous
entities;
6. The procedure of settling accounts with other nations and international
organizations on credits and loans, received for the purposes of building
of property on the territory of the seceding republic or for needs of
the republic and its people, as well as settling accounts on credits
and loans which were spent on the USSR purchases and programs, which
the seceding republic used;
7. The status of territories that were not legally part of the seceding
republic at the time the republic joined the USSR;
8. The status of territories with a compactly settled ethnic minority
population as defined in part two of Article 3 of the present Law taking
into account the outcomes of the referendum;
9. Guarantees for secure protection of historic and cultural monuments
and ancient burial sites on the territory of the seceding republic;
10. All other issues to be resolved mutually.
Article 13.
Citizens of the USSR who reside on the territory of the seceding republic
are given a choice of citizenship, place of residence and work. The
seceding republic is to compensate all costs connected with citizens
leaving their territory.
Article 16.
In accordance with universally recognized principles and norms of international
law and international obligations of USSR the seceding republic is to
guarantee all civil, political, social, economic, cultural and other
rights and freedoms of citizens of the USSR which remain on its territory
without any acts of discrimination based on race, skin color, sex, language,
religion, political or other beliefs, ethnic or social origin, welfare,
place or time of birth.
Article 17.
Citizens of the seceding republic, convicted in its court of law and
currently serving terms on the territory of the USSR are to be transferred
to the seceding republic to serve the rest of the term on its territory.
Citizens of the seceding republic, convicted in the
courts of law of USSR or other Soviet Republics and currently serving
terms on the territory of the USSR are to be transferred to the mentioned
republic if they had committed crimes for which they have been convicted
on the territory of that republic.
The issues concerning the transfer of citizens of
seceding republic which have been convicted in courts of law of the
USSR or other Soviet Republic in case at least one of the crimes is
committed on the territory other than that of the seceding republic
are to be reviewed by the Prosecutor General of the USSR or by the intercession
of the Supreme Court of the seceding republic.
Citizens of USSR, citizens of foreign countries and
persons with no citizenship convicted by courts of law of the USSR or
any Soviet Republic and currently serving the term on the territory
of the seceding republic are to be transferred to the USSR.
Article 18.
All administrative and criminal cases brought to the court based on
crimes committed on the territory of the seceding territory and which
are currently under investigation by the appropriate authorities of
the USSR are to be transferred to the proper authorities of the seceding
republic via the Public Prosecutor's Office of the USSR or the Supreme
Court of the USSR. This rule does not apply to cases in which at least
one of the crimes is committed on the territory other than that of the
seceding republic as well as to criminal cases to be handled by the
military tribunal. The issues of transfer are to be handled by the Prosecutor
General of the USSR upon request of a lower-ranking prosecutor or a
prosecutor of the seceding republic. When a case is in the judicial
production stage the Supreme Court of the USSR is the one making the
request. During the interim period all civil cases are to be settled
according to all civil and civil procedural laws of the USSR if not
otherwise intended by an agreement between the seceding republic and
the USSR.
Article 19.
During the last year of the interim period the referendum may be repeated
to confirm the decision of the Soviet Republic to secede from the USSR
if initiated by the highest body of government of the seceding republic.
Second referendum is obligatory if one tenth of the citizens of the
USSR permanently residing on the territory of the republic and having
a right to vote according to the laws of the USSR demand to do so.
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