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Gori City Council to Discuss Question of Setting Up Stalin’s Statue in the City

September 23, 2015
 
Lado Bitchashvili, Shida Kartli

On October 2, the deputies will discuss issue of setting up Stalin’s statue in the city during the session of the Gori City Council. The session agenda was amended as a result of the September 10 demonstration in Gori. The demonstrators requested to set up the statue of Stalin in the territory of the museum in Gori; otherwise they threatened with large-scaled demonstrations. Representatives of the Society Stalinelebi and Eurasian Choice met the City Mayor to discuss this issue. 

“We gathered here to set up the statue but unfortunately we were hindered by police and then we gathered in front of the district administration. We met the mayor and the city council chairman, they promised the city council will discuss the issue of the statue on October 2; otherwise we will invite people from former soviet republics too and bring the statue ourselves to set up here,” representative of the Society Stalinelebi Aleko Lursmanashvili said.

World Champion and veteran sportsman Giorgi Kandelaki also participated in the demonstration. He hang Stalin’s billboard on the wall of his shop in Gori that caused protest of one part of society in the city. “We met the mayor and informed him about the desire of the people; we discussed the versions how to set up the Stalin’s statue and what kind of legal procedures are necessary for it.”

Later, the Gori City Hall disseminated a statement: “If the initiative group submits all necessary documents on setting up Stalin’s statue, we will discuss this issue at the next session in accordance to all procedural norms; the deputies will discuss this issue.”

The next session is scheduled on October 2. The council member from Free Democrats Tamar Tedliashvili believes discussion of the issue of the Stalin’s statue contradicts the Freedom Charter which was adopted in 2011 by the Parliament; she will not support set up of the Stalin’s statue in Gori.
“The Freedom Charter bans soviet symbols in the country. I believe Stalin’s statue is part of soviet propaganda and example of totalitarian regime. I will not support the idea,” Tamar Tedliashvili said.
Council member Zurab Rosebashvili said due to high interest of tourists the statue shall be set up in the yard of the Museum.

Members of the Georgian Party of Irakli Okruashvili do not comment on the issue. During the pre-election campaign of the 2014 local self-governmental elections one of the main promises of Irakli Okruashvili was to set up Stalin’s statue. As for the city mayor Zurab Jirkvelishvili, he did not comment on the issue with journalists.

Stalin’s statue was removed from Gori center in 2009 at night when United National Movement was in power; Lado Vardzelashvili was regional governor at that time. Since 2009 demonstrations with the request to set up the statue of Stalin are held periodically in Gori. 

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