MOSCOW, 23 APR – RIA Novosti. Moscow urges the Czech Republic to the execution of a bilateral Treaty mandating the preservation of military monuments, and is ready for substantive dialogue with the Czech authorities on the issue of the demolition of the monument to Marshal Ivan Konev, said at a briefing the official representative of Russian foreign Ministry Maria Zakharova.
She recalled that the demolition of the monument to Konev is a clear violation of the fundamental for the bilateral relations Russian-Czech agreement on friendly relations and cooperation of 1993, which requires the parties to ensure the safety and care of military monuments, as well as provide access to them.
“the Arbitrary dismantling of the monument does not fit in the good-faith fulfillment of obligations related to the care of the monument and its preservation. Given the need to ensure access to the monument, the question of its location should not have been resolved unilaterally. Article 5 of the Treaty provides for extensive consultation mechanism at various levels, it could be used in this regard. We encourage our partners to return to performing the contract in full, ready for substantive dialogue with the Czech side on this issue, which of course aggravates bilateral relations,” – said Zakharov
Official representative of the Russian foreign Ministry stressed that the responsibility for the proper execution of this document, which is ratified by the Czech Republic lies with the government of this country. “References to provisions of internal law and the decisions of local authorities as the justification for default of the contract invalid. The Czech authorities not only failed to take measures to prevent illegal actions of the leadership of the city district Prague 6, but also condoned them. The question is, in whose property there is a monument in this context is irrelevant,” said Zakharov.
Authorities of the district Prague 6, implementing its decision of September 12, 2019, dismantled April 3, Konev monument that was installed in the area. According to the initiator of the demolition of the monument, warden (head) of district 36-year-old ondřej Kolář, the monument is transferred to the Museum of the history of the twentieth century. Commenting on these actions, the Russian foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov called them “outrageous and cynical”. In the main investigation Department of the RF IC opened a criminal case about the desecration of symbols of Russia’s military glory, committed publicly.
