Respected Dmitry Anatolyevich,
On behalf of the YABLOKO party I am supporting the decision
of the Pobeda (Victory) organisational committee [of the
May 9 festivities] on inadmissibility of using the Victory
Day for Stalinist propaganda.
However, there are still doubts that placards picturing
Joseph Stalin, the executioner of the Russian nation and
other nations of the Soviet Union, will not emerge in Moscow
streets.
The Moscow government is free to initiate such “social
advertising”.
And the fair Victory Day will split the nation as of the
attitude to Joseph Stalin rather than become a national
unity day. We should not allow that.
The story with hanging Stalin’s portraits is indicative
of corruption. Those involved in the criminal case filed
against the head of the Moscow Committee on Advertising
obviously try to hide behind this scandal.
However, in contrast to the opinion of the Moscow authorities,
far from many war veterans are Stalin’s admirers.
My grandfather, a veteran of war, would have considered
such placards a personal insult.
I am calling you, Dmitry Anatolyevich, to publicly condemn
the initiative of the Moscow authorities. Your clearly worded
position on this issue will put and end to this story without
administrative interference into the competence of the Moscow
Mayor.
Sincerely,
Sergei Mitorkhin,
Chairman of the YABLOKO party
See also:
Portraits
of Stalin and the Anniversary Victory Day. Statement by
the International and Moscow Memorial Societies. March 3,
2010
Overcoming
Stalin’s Legacy
Portraits
of Joseph Stalin have no place in the Victory Day celebrations.
Statement by the Chairman of the YABLOKO party. February
18, 2010
