“Democratic Bulgaria” is again looking for the dismantling of the Monument to the Soviet Army
The municipal councilor from “Democratic Bulgaria” Veselin Kalanovski called with an open letter to the mayor of Sofia Yordanka Fankudova and the chairperson of the culture commission Malina Edreva from GERB to raise the issue of moving the Monument to the Soviet Army, the party announced. The group of DB advisers reminds that they have been pushing for this since 2019.
“Today, it is fashionable to talk about Euro-Atlantic orientation and Bulgaria’s belonging to Europe and NATO. The political force you represent has even publicly expressed a desire to form a coalition government based on these principles. the realities of today,” Kalanowski stated in the letter.
He raises questions about Russian aggression in Ukraine, threats to use nuclear weapons, hybrid warfare and the declaration of Bulgaria as an enemy state by Russia.
“What else needs to happen for the Metropolitan Municipality to come out of its lethargy and take real action to move the monument with the “friendly” Russian soldier who waved a weapon over the heads of Sofians? What else needs to happen for it to be moved a monument suggesting Bulgaria’s vassal position vis-à-vis Russia?”.
“How does the audience of such a monument fit into the scale of your Euro-Atlantic values? Do you think it is normal for an armed soldier from the army of the country that has declared us enemies to tower over the parliament and the university? How does this correspond with our NATO affiliation?” .
“How long do we peacefully tolerate this symbol of the Russian colony, the current influence, which imposed its peak in our country during the time of the USSR, and continues today in various formats”, asks the actor from DB.
In the open letter, he calls on the capital together with the Capital Municipal Council (SOC) to finally solve the problems with the ownership of the monument, built on the municipal land in Sofia. He insists on implementing decision No. 19 of the SOS dated 25.02.1992, supplemented by decision No. 2 dated 18.03.1993, where the local self-government body has clearly expressed its will to dismantle the monument. He also insists that the chairman of the SOS, Georgi Georgiev and Malina Edreva, ensure that the report of “Democratic Bulgaria” from 2020 on the relocation of the monument is moved, examined and, if necessary, corrected.
“This will be a good opportunity to demonstrate publicly and with real actions your Euro-Atlantic affiliation,” says Kalanovski in the background of the upcoming government negotiations with GERB.
The monument to the Soviet army periodically arouses passions on both sides of the “barricade”. It was repeatedly covered with paint and painted by supporters of the idea that its place is not in the center of the capital. After your cleaning, in most cases by the BSP youth, as well as protest reactions from the Russian side.
In the first months of the war in Ukraine, there was already an action to wrap it with the Ukrainian and Bulgarian flags, which provoked physical clashes between the defenders of the monument and the initiators of the protest performance against Russia’s invasion of Ukrainian territory. Opposite the Monument to the Soviet Army, a sculpture called “The Cry of the Ukrainian Mother” was also added, which was removed a day later after a strong public reaction, rather for aesthetic reasons.