Estonian Restoration of Independence

The resolution declared that the Soviet occupation of 17 June 1940 did not de jure interrupt the existence of the Republic of Estonia, the Supreme Soviet declared the state power of the Estonian SSR illegal from the moment of its establishment and proclaimed the start of a transitional period to full de facto independence pending the restoration of the constitutional bodies of state power of the Republic of Estonia.

Also, according to this law, the use of the coat of arms, flag, and anthem of the Estonian SSR as state symbols was terminated and the 1938 Constitution of the independent Republic of Estonia was restored.

[4] A week later the law on the principles of the interim order of administration of Estonia was adopted, according to which the subordination of public authorities, public administration, court bodies was terminated and the prosecutor's office of the republic to the relevant authorities of the USSR, and they separated from the corresponding system of the USSR.

At 23:02 on the evening of 20 August 1991, during a live broadcast carried out by Estonian Television, the Supreme Council of the Republic of Estonia voted on the confirm of its Restoration of Independence.

Those who voted in favour of the restoration were:[10] On the morning of 21 August 1991, Soviet paratroopers were taking charge of the Tallinn's TV tower, while the television broadcast was cut off for a while, the radio signal was strong as a handful of Estonian Defence League (the unified paramilitary armed forces of Estonia) members barricaded the entry into signal rooms.

[11] By the afternoon of the same day it was clear that the coup in Moscow had failed and the paratroopers released the tower and left Estonia.