Day of Declaration of Sovereignty in Estonia Date in the current year: November 16, 2024

Estonia first declared its independence in February 1918. It maintained its sovereignty for 22 years before being occupied by the Soviet Union according to the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact. After WWII, Estonia was fully incorporated into the Soviet Union as a Soviet republic.

Massive peaceful demonstrations against the Soviet regime began in Estonia in 1987, when Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev launched a political movement for reformation known as perestroika. A series of events led to the issuance of the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration on November 16, 1988. The document asserted the sovereignty of Estonia and the supremacy of Estonian laws over those of the Soviet Union.

On August 20, 1991, Estonia declared its independence from the Soviet Union. The anniversary of the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration was designated as one of the remembrance days in the newly independent republic. Although it is not a public holiday, it is marked with official ceremonies throughout the country.