DECREE ISSUED BY THE SUPREME COUNCIL OF THE USSR on the results of the referendum of the USSR of 17 March 1991

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According to the preliminary data, 147 million people have participated in the referendum.  112 million of people have voted in favour of preservation of the USSR, i.e. 76% of voters…

Despite the fact that the state authorities of some republics (Georgia, Lithuania, Moldova, Latvia, Armenia, Estonia) didn’t implement the Resolution of the IV Congress of the People’s Deputies of the USSR and the Supreme Council of the USSR in holding the referendum, violated the constitutional rights of citizens, exerted influence on them, blocked the polling stations – more than 2 million of the citizens of the USSR gave “yes” votes to the USSR…

The Supreme council of the USSR decrees:

1. The state authorities of the USSR and Republics shall pursue to the decision of the people made through the referendum to support renewal of the Union of the Soviet Socialist Republics on the assumption of the fact that this decision is final and binding on the whole territory of the USSR.

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The chairman of the Supreme Council of the USSR A. Lukianov

21 March 1991

(Bulletin of the Congress of the People’s Deputies of the USSR and the supreme Council of the USSR, 1991, # 13, p. 432-433)