Press release, 03.06.2015
YABLOKO leader Sergei Mitrokhim called to demolish a monument to Joseph Stalin in Lipetsk and bring the Communist party to responsibility for erecting it. The appeals were forwarded to prosecutor of the Sovetsky district of Lipetsk Mikhail Makeyev, deputy head of the city administration Anna Shamayeva and chief of Lipetsk regional office of Ministry of Internal Affairs Oleg Panionta.

The bust to Stalin was erected by the local Communist party branch on the 70th anniversary of victory over fascism. By this action the communists violated the law which states that only the Lipetsk city council can take the decision to enternelise the memory of outstanding people.

By law, the monument must have been demolished until May 20. However, both communists and local authorities didn’t take any measures.

Local residents expressed protest in connection with the monument erection. At night time an unidentified person split pink paint on the bust. Human rights defenders also stood against the monument.

“Enternalising the memeory of the state criminal in public space of Russia is the insult to the memory of the victims of repressions and not only justification of his crimes but the creation of conditions for their repetition in the near future. Praising, symbolic rehabilitation and idealization of Stalin and his regime is a way to dictatorship, repressions and new totalitarianism, the system where a human’s life and rights have no value,” runs in YABLOKO Bureau statement.