Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite “glad” Soviet statues removed from Green Bridge in Vilnius

  • 2015-07-24
  • From wire reports and George East, VILNIUS

Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaite says she's “glad” the Soviet bronze statues have been removed from the Green Bridge in central Vilnius.

"I am, in fact, glad they [the statues] are gone, and that's my personal civic opinion,” said Grybaukaite during an official visit to the Sea Festival in the western Lithuanian town of Klaipeda on July 24, 2015. “I think people should decide on their fate. 

“We might ask the residents of Vilnius or perhaps the whole of the country to [decide the statues’ fate], but most importantly, we should decide ourselves what to do with them," she replied when asked whether the sculptures should be returned to the Green Bridge.

The four groups of statues represented Soviet soldiers, workers, peasants and students, and had stood on the bridge since 1952. They were removed on Sunday July 19, 2015.

Supporters of the removal say the statues are Soviet propaganda, and an insult to those who fought for Lithuania's eventual liberation from the USSR in 1991.

Vilnius Mayor, the Liberal Movement party’s Remigijus Simasius, said in a recent interview the statues were removed in the interest of public safety, and not for political reasons.

“The statues were very dangerous for passers by because their condition was very poor,” said Simasius. “We had no other choice to remove them from the Green Bridge. 

“According to expert advice, we would have had to have closed the pavement [alongside the statues] during strong winds, because they would have made it too dangerous to pass by. 

The sculptures are officially listed as a cultural objects, and opponents of the removal believe they are an integral part of the bridge.

"The Vilnius Municipality administration has been accused of the politicising and settlement of historical bills.

Simasius, who was elected Vilnius Mayor in March 2015, also went on to describe the statues as representing “big lies” about the Soviet system and revealed a decision on their future would be taken in Autumn this year. 

“For me personally, I think the values the statues represent were actually big lies about the Soviet system. Nothing more, just big lies.

“They will be guarded, then during the Autumn we’ll bring everyone to the table to have a discussion and decide whether they will be used temporarily or permanently in the future.”