Page 4 - Soviet Monuments News Today

There is no symbol of war as strong as a tank. These days, they also have an additional meaning: to justify Russia's policy, Raul Rebane finds in Vikerraadio's daily comment.

The city of Helsinki on Monday morning removed the "World Peace" monument that Finland got as a present from the Soviet Union and the location of which will be paved over for a pedestrian path.

A Soviet monument was removed from Pärnu's Old Park on Monday, where work also began to exhume and relocate human remains buried beneath it.

Narva city authorities must remove the Soviet tank monument as quickly as possible, Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) said Monday following a meeting with Narva city government and Narva City Council, adding that should the matter drag and tensions rise, the government will intervene.

A Government Office committee tasked with removing Soviet-era monuments has been criticized for its lack of transparency. Experts believe the process must be made as clear to the public as possible.

While not too long ago I still thought it might be sufficient to add a plaque explaining the history to the tank on the bank of the Narva River, this is no longer enough. A pedestal alongside the road connecting Narva and Narva-Jõesuu is no place for a World War II tank; a museum is, writes Estonian President Alar Karis.

The Soviet-era tank monument in Narva should be removed within a month to stop tensions mounting and a similar situation to the Bronze Soldier arising, Minister of Foreign Affairs Urmas Reinsalu (Isamaa) said on Wednesday. An extraordinary Riigikogu session could be held to change the necessary laws, he believes.

Growing tensions over the fate of a World War Two-era tank monument just outside the eastern city of Narva have prompted council chiefs in the town to call for a meeting with the national government to resolve the issue, and that of other monuments commemorating Soviet fallen during the war.

An excavator at Auvere Power Plant outside of Narva was completely destroyed by fire overnight Tuesday. The Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) are investigating.

A crowd of around 100 people gathered around the Soviet tank moment in Narva on Wednesday evening following rumors that the tank would be removed at 5 p.m.