Uzbekistan declared its independence from the Soviet Union on August 31, 1991, during the final, turbulent months of the USSR’s collapse. On that day, an extraordinary session of the Uzbek SSR Supreme Council in Tashkent adopted a Declaration of Independence and passed the law “On the Foundations of State Independence.” The same session resolved that September 1 would henceforth be celebrated annually as Independence Day.
The move came just days after the failed Moscow coup attempt (GKChP) against Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, and in the wake of Ukraine and Belarus declaring their own independence. Uzbekistan’s then-leader Islam Karimov moved swiftly to follow suit.
At the time, Karimov served both as the leader of Soviet Uzbekistan and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Uzbekistan. He presided over the landmark session on August 31 and proposed September 1 as the national holiday. Shortly afterward, his administration began establishing the institutions of statehood, including a Ministry of Defense and a National Security Service, both created in early September 1991. Later that year, on December 29, a national referendum overwhelmingly supported independence, and Karimov was elected the first president of the new republic.
Karimov’s position in 1991 was not without contradictions. Earlier that year, during a USSR-wide referendum in March, he had campaigned for the preservation of the Soviet Union. At the time, he reportedly warned Uzbeks: “Our rivers will run with milk if we stay within the Soviet Union, but if we leave it, our rivers will fill with blood.”
For many Uzbeks, the first Independence Day came as a surprise. The declaration was made hastily, and the celebrations of September 1, 1991, were unlike the orchestrated commemorations seen in later years.
According to Kursiv, citizens awoke to an unfamiliar atmosphere, karnay horns echoed through the streets, cars were spontaneously decorated, and celebrations broke out informally. “Citizens didn’t even know they had woken up in a new independent state,” one account recalled. Emotions ranged from pride and elation to confusion and concern. The post-Soviet transition proved challenging: economic hardship and shortages left some wondering whether independence had been a mistake.
“People in the villages were very unhappy, a bit scared, and already wondering if independence was a big mistake,” wrote Bruce Pannier in 2016. At the time, Pannier, now a contributor to The Times of Central Asia, was traveling through Uzbekistan in 1992. Others remained hopeful, viewing independence as a long-awaited moment of self-determination. For older generations raised under Soviet rule, the sense of historic transformation was profound.
Today, 34 years later, Independence Day remains Uzbekistan’s most important national holiday, marked by public ceremonies and official remembrances. The events of 1991 continue to shape national identity and memory. Islam Karimov is remembered by some as the founding father of the republic; a legacy still debated in public discourse. For those who lived through the early 1990s, memories of watching a new flag rise and hearing a new anthem are inseparable from the hardship and promise of the era.
Journalist Aziza Qurbonova reflected on her Telegram channel:
“Independence is the greatest blessing a country can achieve. Ensuring peace is the greatest victory a leader can bring to their people. It is clear that securing independence, peace, and progress is the main mission of Uzbekistan’s leadership. Other issues can be solved with time and effort. Long live independence! Long live independent Uzbeks!”
Economist Behzod Hoshimov also commented on the broader significance of independence:
“One of the most sacred things in the world is freedom. That is why we must never forget that our country’s independence and sovereignty are the most precious gifts given to our people. We can see the true value of this holiday by looking at the events happening in the world today. While we celebrate, many nations still struggle for freedom. In Gaza and the West Bank, Palestinians suffer because they have no homeland. The war in Ukraine is, in essence, a war for independence. In Hong Kong, people went out for their rights and freedoms, while in Xinjiang thousands are deprived of them.”
He added that Hong Kong’s experience demonstrates how fragile civic freedoms can be. In June 2025, the League of Social Democrats, the last active street-level pro-democracy party, disbanded under political pressure, effectively ending formal opposition in the city.
“These examples remind us how vital and valuable independence is. Of course, we have many problems yet to solve, but the fact that we can openly and freely discuss and resolve them as one society is itself a great fortune. We must always strive and fight for freedom. A people who value something more than freedom will lose both their freedom and what they placed above it.”
He concluded with a call to unity:
“May our independence and thus our freedom become even stronger. May it be our destiny to decide our future together, in democracy and openness. This country belongs to all of us, and ensuring its freedom is the responsibility of us all.”
