Such explanations were given by the Ministry of Culture, emphasizing: “especially since they are included in the National Register of Monuments of Public Importance”.
The document explains step-by-step how the law on monuments of public importance should be applied so that any changes – installation, relocation or dismantling – are carried out transparently, legally and responsibly.
“The new regulation confirms the legal protection of these monuments and clearly defines the procedural steps for any interventions. With this instruction, the Ministry of Culture assumes the role of guarantor of legislative consistency and preservation of the integrity of the cultural heritage,” the ministry notes.
The institution encourages authorities, cultural organizations and citizens to familiarize themselves with the the new procedure and to cooperate actively in the protection of monuments that are part of identity and collective memory.
According to the published document, the right to initiate the procedure of relocation of monuments erected in public places has the administrator of the monument. In addition to their administrators, the central or local public authorities may also initiate the procedure of dismantling monuments.
At the same time, natural or legal persons, from the country or abroad, interested in supporting the procedure of erecting, moving or dismantling a monument in a public place, shall inform the administrators, central or local public authorities by means of an appropriate request.
Alexei Petrovich, head of the “Russian Historical and Patriotic Club”, believes that the meaning of the instruction is not very clear, and appears to be a consequence of the mishaps related to the state vandalism of Soviet mosaic panels (the Palace of Trade Unions in Ryshkanivka and the bus stop in Stavcheny).
“Then the authorities, who had their noses poked by civic activists to the letter of the law, had to admit their blunders and look for ways out of the situation. The new instruction now allows to demolish everything unnecessary, worn out and contrary to the authorities’ impulses: mosaics, monuments, busts,” Petrovich notes.
However, he points out that Article 4 of the instruction states that it does not apply to cemeteries, war graves and war memorial sites: “We sincerely hope that this paragraph will be strictly observed.”
