The decree “On creation of the National flag and National emblem of the RSFSR”

The national symbols were always meant to reflect the main ideals of the state. Due to the changes that had occurred in the Soviet Union during its last years, it was necessary to solve the problem of creation of the new state symbols.

On November 5, 1990 the Council of the Ministers of the RSFSR approved the decree ‘On creation of the National flag and National emblem of the RSFSR’. In order to complete this task a state Commission was created. On the instructions of this Commission, the Committee on archives’ activity under the Ministers Council of the RSFSR had organized ‘the round table’ under the guidance of the Committee President R.G. Pikhoi.

Just that very social body had to prepare the suggestions regarding the state symbols. The body included such scholars as E.I. Kamentseva from the History and Archival Institute, N.A. Soboleva and V.A. Artamonov from the Historical Institute of the Academy of Science, S.V. Dumin and A.S. Melnikova from the State Historical museum, G.V. Vilinbakhov from the State Hermitage, etc. Besides the scholars, the sessions of “the round table” were attended by the deputies, the representatives of Ministries and Departments, painters.

After the detailed discussion the Commission suggested to recommend the Government to re-establish the white-blue-red flag and the emblem in the form of a golden double-headed eagle on the red ground as the state symbols.

On December 8, 2000 the State Duma adopted the constitutional laws “On the national emblem of the Russian Federation” and “On the national flag of the Russian Federation” that had determined the order of their use.

Based on the Presidential Library’s materials:

Symbols of the state authority in the Russian Federation // State Authority : [digital collection];

Symbols of presidential power: [documentary]. St. Petersburg, 2015.