Deputies of House of Representatives condemn demolition and desecration of monuments to Soviet soldiers

April 18, 2024 marks the International Day of Monuments and Sites. For four decades, the date established by UNESCO actively contributes to attracting the attention of states and the world community to the issue of the need to preserve and protect the historical and cultural heritage of humanity for the sake of future generations.
The Republic of Belarus is carrying out multifaceted work to protect monuments and historic sites. The enhancement of the country's historical and cultural heritage is an important factor of national identity and Belarusian statehood and plays a significant role in the formation of citizenship and patriotism.
Special attention is paid to monuments dedicated to the Great Patriotic War. The whole world knows the memorial complexes "Brest Hero Fortress", "Khatyn", "Buinich Field" and "Barrow of Glory". In every region of the country there are places that remind of the pain and tragedy of our land, which lost every third inhabitant during the Great Patriotic War. The Republic of Belarus not only takes care of the proper condition of the existing monuments, but also builds new objects - the Museum of the History of the Great Patriotic War in Minsk, memorial complexes "Ola", "Trostenets", "Ozarichi" and others.
Belarus even preserves the resting places of soldiers and officers of foreign countries, who came to the Belarusian land not with peace-loving intentions.
At the same time, more than three thousand monuments, obelisks and memorials erected to Soviet soldiers who liberated these countries from Nazism have been destroyed, demolished and dismantled in European countries. Officials, whose ancestors greeted the liberators with flowers and thanked them for their salvation, are now making decisions to demolish monuments, rename streets and squares, trying to make the names of heroes and their selfless exploits forgotten.
The policy of a number of Western States, which are assiduously at war with monuments, is characterized by special cynicism and is aimed at erasing the memory of the feat of Soviet people who sacrificed their lives to rid the peoples of these States of Nazism. We are convinced that if there had been no heroism of the Soviet soldier, there would not be those who now seek to nullify the memory of the Great Victory.

The deputies of the House of Representatives of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus strongly condemn the demolition and desecration of monuments to Soviet soldiers and call on European politicians, parliamentarians, inter-parliamentary organizations, UNESCO and the world community to stop their destruction. We are convinced that our consolidation in preserving the memory of the events of the past and in transmitting the historical truth to subsequent generations will serve to strengthen international peace, security and the well-being of peoples.