Declaration of State Sovereignty of the Karelian ASSR

The Supreme Council of the Karelian ASSR, based on the highest goals of ensuring the inalienable right of the peoples of the republic to free political, economic, and spiritual development, respecting the rights of all peoples within the RSFSR and the USSR, advocating for the integrity of the Russian Federation, expressing the interests of the peoples of the Karelian ASSR, considering the republic as an equal subject of the Federal and new Union Treaties, proclaims the state sovereignty of the Karelian ASSR over its entire territory.

I. The Karelian Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic establishes a legal, democratic, sovereign state within the RSFSR and the USSR, voluntarily delegating part of its powers to the RSFSR and the USSR based on the Federal and Union Treaties.

II. The bearer of sovereignty and the source of state power in the Karelian ASSR is its people. State power is exercised by the people directly and through representative bodies – the Councils of People's Deputies, based on the Constitution of the Karelian ASSR.

The essential principle of the functioning of the Karelian ASSR as a rule-of-law state is the separation of legislative, executive, and judicial powers.

The republic guarantees the observance of human rights and freedoms, provided by the universally recognized norms of international law, the Constitution of the Karelian ASSR; the free national and cultural development of all peoples on its territory; and the revival of the national identity of the indigenous peoples.

III. The Supreme Council of the Karelian ASSR considers it necessary to expand the rights and powers of the local Councils of People's Deputies – district, city, settlement, and rural. Local Councils are bodies of state power authorized to resolve any issues within their competence and participate in discussions of issues of republican and union-wide significance.

IV. In pursuing its aspiration for unification with other sovereign members of the RSFSR and the USSR within the framework of a renewed Federation, the Supreme Council of the Karelian ASSR deems it necessary to promptly begin negotiations on the conclusion of the Federal Treaty and the new Union Treaty.

By ratifying these treaties, the Karelian ASSR undertakes to bring its legislation into compliance with them.

To ensure the political, economic, and legal guarantees of the sovereignty of the Karelian ASSR, the supremacy of the Constitution of the Karelian ASSR and the laws of the Karelian ASSR is established. The laws of the RSFSR and the USSR, adopted in accordance with the powers voluntarily transferred by the Republic to the jurisdiction of the bodies of the Federation and the Union, have the highest legal force on its territory.

The effect of laws and other acts of the state authorities and administration of the RSFSR and the USSR, which go beyond the voluntarily transferred powers or infringe on the rights and interests of the peoples of Karelia, is suspended by the Supreme Council of the Karelian ASSR.

Disputes arising from the competition of legislation are resolved in the manner established by the Federal and Union Treaties.

The Karelian ASSR independently resolves issues of international relations beyond the powers delegated to the RSFSR and the USSR.

V. Land, subsoil, water, coastal shelf, flora and fauna in their natural state, and historical and cultural monuments are the property of the people of the Karelian ASSR and the basis of its economic sovereignty.

The delineation of property of the Karelian ASSR, the RSFSR, and the USSR, and the determination of the procedure for the ownership, use, and disposal of property jointly owned by the Karelian ASSR, the RSFSR, and the USSR, is carried out based on agreements between them.

The Karelian ASSR ensures equal rights and protection of all forms of property, including the property of other republics, foreign states, and their citizens.

VI. The territory of the Karelian ASSR cannot be changed without the will of the peoples of the republic, expressed through a referendum.

VII. Citizenship of the Karelian ASSR is established on the territory of the Karelian ASSR. Every citizen of the Karelian ASSR retains citizenship of the RSFSR and the USSR.

All citizens, political parties, public organizations, mass movements, and religious organizations operating within the framework of the Constitution of the Karelian ASSR, the RSFSR, and the USSR are guaranteed equal legal opportunities in managing state and public affairs.

VIII. The Karelian ASSR declares its right to change its state-legal status in the manner determined by the Federal and Union Treaties and the legislation based on them.

This Declaration is the basis for the development of a new Constitution of the Karelian ASSR, the conclusion of the Federal Treaty, and the new Union Treaty.

Adopted by the second session of the Supreme Council of the Karelian ASSR of the twelfth convocation on August 9, 1990

Translated by Margarita Matthew, 2024