Nationalists demand removal of Pilsudski’s mausoleum

During their convention on Saturday (June 23), Lithuanian nationalists demanded transfer of Jozef Pilsudski’s mausoleum to Warsaw.

“In fact, a pantheon of national traitors is created at the Rasos Cemetery” – said Julius Panka, one of the organizers of annual ‘nationalistic marches’ on March 11.

Julius Panka’s claim was supported by deputy Gintaras Songaila. “Here was the mentioned monument at the Rasos Cemetery. There are no ashes actually. It’s just an ideological space.” – He said.

Another debate topic at the nationalist convention was the problem of the Soviet sculptures on the Green Bridge in Vilnius. According to nationalists, these sculptures represent neither historical nor artistic value, and they are only relics left behind by the Soviet occupiers.

“It’s simply absurd. Let’s see if we can find in any other European capital a monument to the occupiers? Can we find an SS monument in Paris? Or a Wehrmacht monument? Do anywhere else exist such painful souvenirs offending the national feelings, which cannot be removed because of our national government?” – Thundered Julius Panka from the tribune.

Source: http://pl.delfi.lt/aktualia/litwa/narodowcy-zadaja-usuniecia-mauzoleum-pilsudskiego.d?id=58984805

Tłumaczenie Ewelina Zarembska w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Ewelina Zarembska within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.