More than 170 objects related to the history and culture of Russia and the USSR, located in the Lviv region, are proposed to be deprived of the status of historical monuments.
This initiative was supported today, August 30, during a joint meeting of the commission on culture, information policy and promotion, and on issues of historical and cultural heritage and tourism. The deputies also approved the relevant project of the decision of the Lviv Regional Council on amendments to the decision of the Executive Committee of the Lviv Regional Council of Workers’ Deputies dated May 5, 1972 No. 183 “On taking under state protection monuments of archaeology, history and art located in the territory of Lviv Region.”
As the head of the commission for culture, information policy and promotion, Svyatoslav Sheremeta, emphasized, the objects proposed for removal are monuments of the totalitarian regime and markers of the communist occupation era.
“They have nothing to do with real historical monuments, because they had an ideological load and popularized the occupation regime.
We believe that in the realities of the present time, on the 31st year of Ukraine’s independence, it is necessary to deprive the burial sites of fallen NKVD soldiers who fought against Ukraine’s independence, as well as those who died during the Second World War, from the status of historical monuments. This will allow territorial communities, following the order of the Ministry of Culture and Information Policy of Ukraine, to transfer the ashes of the dead from the central parts of settlements to cemeteries.
In a civilized state, there can be no burials in the squares and streets, this contradicts any principles of morality, Christian principles, sanitary norms, etc. Therefore, I hope that the future decision of the regional council will stimulate the relevant ministry to give permission to move these monuments and remove them from the register,” Svyatoslav Sheremeta said.
As the head of the commission for historical and cultural heritage and tourism, Ivan Shchurko, emphasized, one of the important arguments is that the absolute majority of these objects do not meet the value criteria applied to monuments in accordance with the current Ukrainian monument protection legislation.
“Actually, it should have been a long time ago to review all these formal lists and registers of monuments that we inherited from the Soviet past, and to make appropriate changes, removing historical garbage,” Ivan Shchurko noted.
The Lviv Regional Council may become the first in Ukraine to raise the issue of revoking the status of historical monuments of objects related to the history and culture of Russia and the USSR.
“We will set a good example for our colleagues from other regions and offer them a mechanism for implementing such an important initiative,” Svyatoslav Sheremeta concluded.